Deep Genomics And Our Chromatin Landscape
Friday, January 14, 2011 - 12:03
in Biology & Nature
Why are we forked creatures instead of tumbling beach balls of undifferentiated cells? An embryo begins by dividing into identical cells, but within hours these cells begin to make genetic decisions, turning off some genes and turning on others. So the ball of cells acquires a front end and a back end, a top and a bottom, nerve cells and muscles cells, all still carrying the same DNA, but DNA now packaged in such a way that some genes are shrink wrapped and silent but others are spread-eagled for easy access and active. read more