TY - JOUR T1 - A Proposed Unified Interphase Nucleus Chromosome Structure: Preliminary Preponderance of Evidence JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/2021.10.08.463051 SP - 2021.10.08.463051 AU - John Sedat AU - Angus McDonald AU - Hu Cang AU - Joseph Lucas AU - Muthuvel Arigovindan AU - Zvi Kam AU - Cornelis Murre AU - Michael Elbaum Y1 - 2021/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/10/09/2021.10.08.463051.abstract N2 - Cellular cryo-electron tomography (CET) of the cell nucleus using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) and the use of deconvolution (DC) processing technology has highlighted a large-scale, 100–300 nm interphase chromosome structure (LSS), that is present throughout the nucleus. This chromosome structure appears to coil the nucleosome 11-nm fiber into a defined hollow structure, analogous to a Slinky (S) (1, motif used in 2) helical spring. This S architecture can be used to build chromosome territories, extended to polytene chromosome structure, as well as to the structure of Lampbrush chromosomes.Significance Statement Cryo-preservation of the nuclear interior allows a large scale interphase chromosome structure—present throughout the nucleus—to be seen for the first time. This structure can be proposed to be a defined coiled entity, a Slinky. This structure can be further used to explain polytene chromosome structure, an unknown chromosome architecture as well as for lampbrush chromosomes. In addition, this new structure can be further organized as chromosome territories, using all 46 human interphase chromosomes as an example, easily into a 10 micron diameter nucleus. Thus, interphase chromosomes can be unified into a flexible defined structure.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest. ER -