heterochromatin

[het-er-uh-kroh-muh-tin]

noun

Genetics.

1. the dense, highly stainable part of a chromosome.

heterochromatin

/ ˌhɛtərəʊˈkrəʊmətɪn /

noun

1. the condensed part of a chromosome that stains strongly with basic dyes in nondividing cells and has little genetic activity Compare euchromatin

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterochromatin¹

First recorded in 1930–35; hetero- + chromatin

Example Sentences

They found out that long-lived RNAs in neurons consist of mRNAs and non-coding RNAs and accumulate near the heterochromatin -- the densely packed region of the genome, typically homing inactive genes.

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A lower amount of long-lived RNAs caused problems in the heterochromatin architecture and stability of genetic material, eventually affecting the cells' viability.

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"Together with unidentified proteins, long-lived RNAs likely form a stable structure that somehow interacts with the heterochromatin."

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They also plan to model a disease called progeria, in which cells have a genetic mutation that leads to loss of heterochromatin.

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In particular, they found that certain chromatin regions, with marks telling cells not to read a particular segment of DNA, attract each other and form dense clumps called heterochromatin, which are difficult for the cell to access.

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