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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2012 Jun 22;13(7):436–447. doi: 10.1038/nrm3382

Figure 6. A model for chromatin tertiary structure by interdigitation of nucleosomal arrays.

Figure 6

The dynamic motion of arrays, possibly aided by nucleosome remodelling factors and histone-modifying enzymes, enables partial decompaction by the ‘unpeeling’ of an unfolded array (light blue) from the large-scale interdigitated tertiary chromatin fibre. As a result, this ‘string of pearls’ (shown on the left) slides out of the compact array and becomes more accessible as it is removed from the interdigitated stacks (shown on the right). This unpeeling process from the surface of the fibre facilitates transcription factor access. The fractal nature of the interdigitated chromatin fibre enables access to even DNA that is buried deep within the fibre.