Special Article

The Topography of Chromosomes and Genes in the Nucleus

MARIA CARMO-FONSECA, CELSO CUNHA, NOÉLIA CUSTÓDIO, CÉLIA CARVALHO, PETER JORDAN, JOÃO FERREIRA, AND LEONOR PARREIRA
Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1699 Lisboa Codex, Portugal

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Abstract
At present several lines of evidence indicate that the nucleus is functionally compartmentalized into discrete structures with defined properties. For instance, it is well established that the molecular machines involved in replication, transcription, and RNA processing assemble into morphological entities but it remains unclear whether these correspond to autonomous "organelles" or rather represent temporary accumulations of either active factors recruited onto DNA templates or inactive factors stored in the vicinity of genes. According to the latter view, the spatial distribution of genes during interphase should play a major role in the subnuclear organization of nonchromatin components such as replication, transcription, and processing factors, and in this article we discuss current ideas on the functional compartmentalization of chromosomes and genes within the nucleus.

EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH 229
247 - 252 (1996)
ARTICLE NO. 0367
Copyright © 1996 Academic Press, Inc.