Wrapping DNA into nucleosomes makes the molecule roughly how much shorter?
AAbout twice shorter
BAbout seven times shorter
CAbout fifty times shorter
DAbout a thousand times
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. About seven times shorter
1. Nucleosome formation is the first stage of chromatin compaction.
2. A DNA molecule in this form is about seven times shorter than the double helix without the histones.
3. The beads are about 10 nanometres in diameter, against the 2-nanometre diameter of a bare double helix.
4. Further coiling into the 30-nanometre fibre and protein scaffolding adds the rest of the compaction.
_Source: OpenStax Biology for AP(R) Courses (CC BY 4.0), Ch 10 'Cell Reproduction', sections 10.1-10.5_
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