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| Version 28 | Version 29 |
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| Revealed: The human genome in 3D | Revealed: The human genome in 3D |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Scientists have worked out the 3D structure of the human genome. | Scientists have worked out the 3D structure of the human genome. |
| Their findings, published in Science magazine, reveal how long strands of DNA code are folded and tightly packed into the nucleus of a human cell. | Their findings, published in Science magazine, reveal how long strands of DNA code are folded and tightly packed into the nucleus of a human cell. |
| Unfolded, the cell's genome - those strands of DNA code - would be approximately 2m in length. | Unfolded, the cell's genome - those strands of DNA code - would be approximately 2m in length. |
| The team showed how this is organised into a tight ball to fit inside a nucleus, which is about one hundredth of a millimetre in diameter. | The team showed how this is organised into a tight ball to fit inside a nucleus, which is about one hundredth of a millimetre in diameter. |
| The US-based research team developed improved DNA sequencing and computational methods to build a model of the genome. | The US-based research team developed improved DNA sequencing and computational methods to build a model of the genome. |
| This is the first glimpse we're getting of a whole genome in 3D Job DekkerUniversity of Massachusetts | This is the first glimpse we're getting of a whole genome in 3D Job DekkerUniversity of Massachusetts |
| Job Dekker, from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, led the research. | Job Dekker, from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, led the research. |
| He explained to BBC News that, with its new approach, his team had discovered important patterns in the shape of the genome. | He explained to BBC News that, with its new approach, his team had discovered important patterns in the shape of the genome. |
| "For a given part of the genome, we can determine its neighbours," he said. | "For a given part of the genome, we can determine its neighbours," he said. |
| "And if you can do that for every gene - if you know which other genes surround it - you can work your way back computationally to calculate the structure. | "And if you can do that for every gene - if you know which other genes surround it - you can work your way back computationally to calculate the structure. |
| "This is the first glimpse we're getting of a whole genome in 3D." | "This is the first glimpse we're getting of a whole genome in 3D." |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Professor Julian Parkhill visits the Wellcome Collection to unravel the science behind the genome | Professor Julian Parkhill visits the Wellcome Collection to unravel the science behind the genome |
| DNA is bundled into chromosomes. The combination of DNA and protein that makes up these chromosomes is called chromatin. | DNA is bundled into chromosomes. The combination of DNA and protein that makes up these chromosomes is called chromatin. |
| Dr Dekker explained how a 3D view showed how chromatin's complicated folding pattern was important in the regulation of genes. | Dr Dekker explained how a 3D view showed how chromatin's complicated folding pattern was important in the regulation of genes. |
| "We now see that things that are far apart along the linear sequence of the genome are actually next to each other in the folded structure," he said. | "We now see that things that are far apart along the linear sequence of the genome are actually next to each other in the folded structure," he said. |
| "They're close together in the structure, and they're talking to each other." | "They're close together in the structure, and they're talking to each other." |
| This constant communication is the basis of the regulation that keeps a cell healthy and functional. | This constant communication is the basis of the regulation that keeps a cell healthy and functional. |
| This means that a detailed view of the genome's structure could provide a new window into diseases such as cancer, which is caused by errors in the genetic code. | This means that a detailed view of the genome's structure could provide a new window into diseases such as cancer, which is caused by errors in the genetic code. |
| "Maybe we will be able to predict these [disease-causing] changes better now," said Dr Dekker. | "Maybe we will be able to predict these [disease-causing] changes better now," said Dr Dekker. |
| The team also discovered that the human genome is organised into two separate compartments, keeping active genes accessible while keeping inactive DNA in a sort of storage compartment. | The team also discovered that the human genome is organised into two separate compartments, keeping active genes accessible while keeping inactive DNA in a sort of storage compartment. |
| The chromosomes snake in and out of the two compartments - separating their active and inactive sections. | The chromosomes snake in and out of the two compartments - separating their active and inactive sections. |