MIT researchers used MINFLUX super-resolution microscopy to measure chromatin movement across seven orders of magnitude in timescale — from hundreds of microseconds to several hours — for the first time. They identified two distinct classes of chromatin dynamics: one where chromatin moves in a constrained, subdiffusive manner within roughly 200 nanometers, and another where chromatin moves more freely but only over longer timescales. The constrained movement means genes and regulatory elements within ~100,000 base pairs can find each other routinely without additional mechanisms. The findings challenge existing models (Rouse and fractal globule) and reveal unexpected cell-type-specific differences in chromatin behavior, with implications for understanding gene regulation and DNA repair.
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