chromatin
noun
chro·ma·tin
ˈkrō-mə-tən 
: a complex chiefly of DNA and histone in eukaryotic cells that is usually dispersed in the interphase nucleus and condensed into chromosomes in mitosis and meiosis and in which the nucleosome makes up its repeating subunits
In eukaryotes, the DNA interacts with the histone proteins to form a tightly packed superstructure known as chromatin.—
Isao Tanaka et al.
see cell illustration compare euchromatin, heterochromatin, nucleosome
Isao Tanaka et al.Examples of chromatin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For a gene to be transcribed, chromatin must open to make DNA more accessible.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Normally, after death, chromatin molecules break apart and diffuse through the cellular matrix, like sugar dissolving in hot coffee.
—Richard Stone, science.org, 11 July 2024
How chromatin is structured determines which of its genes are accessible and can be transcribed; if parts of chromatin are too tightly packed, the enzyme machinery of transcription can’t reach it.
—Philip Ball, Scientific American, 14 May 2024
Another idea is that lncRNAs affect the structure of chromatin—the combination of DNA and proteins that makes up chromosome fibers in the cell nucleus.
—Philip Ball, Scientific American, 14 May 2024
Every organism on the planet has a genome, and almost all organisms organize it into a structure called chromatin.
—Anika Nayak, STAT, 13 Oct. 2023
To access a gene, the chromatin must be unpacked in a way that reveals the precise location of the gene and then packed away again afterwards.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 9 Aug. 2023
It is controlled by methylation changes to CpG islands on promoter regions, the remodeling of chromatin using histone modifications, and the alteration of gene expression through non-coding RNA expression.
—Salvatore Viscomi, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2023
Methylation is a process by which, in the presence of specific enzymes, methyl groups attach to key sites on a strand of DNA or within the complex of DNA and proteins known as chromatin.
—Rachel Yehuda, Scientific American, 18 June 2022
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William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Normally, after death, chromatin molecules break apart and diffuse through the cellular matrix, like sugar dissolving in hot coffee.
—Richard Stone, science.org, 11 July 2024
How chromatin is structured determines which of its genes are accessible and can be transcribed; if parts of chromatin are too tightly packed, the enzyme machinery of transcription can’t reach it.
—Philip Ball, Scientific American, 14 May 2024
Another idea is that lncRNAs affect the structure of chromatin—the combination of DNA and proteins that makes up chromosome fibers in the cell nucleus.
—Philip Ball, Scientific American, 14 May 2024
Every organism on the planet has a genome, and almost all organisms organize it into a structure called chromatin.
—Anika Nayak, STAT, 13 Oct. 2023
To access a gene, the chromatin must be unpacked in a way that reveals the precise location of the gene and then packed away again afterwards.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 9 Aug. 2023
It is controlled by methylation changes to CpG islands on promoter regions, the remodeling of chromatin using histone modifications, and the alteration of gene expression through non-coding RNA expression.
—Salvatore Viscomi, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2023
Methylation is a process by which, in the presence of specific enzymes, methyl groups attach to key sites on a strand of DNA or within the complex of DNA and proteins known as chromatin.
—Rachel Yehuda, Scientific American, 18 June 2022
Dictionary Entries Near chromatin
Cite this Entry
“Chromatin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chromatin. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chromatin
noun
chro·ma·tin
ˈkrō-mə-tən
: a material present in chromosomes that is made up of DNA and protein and stains deeply with certain biological stains
Medical Definition
chromatin
noun
chro·ma·tin
ˈkrō-mət-ən
: a complex of a nucleic acid with basic proteins (as histone) in eukaryotic cells that is usually dispersed in the interphase nucleus and condensed into chromosomes in mitosis and meiosis
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