Irradiated regions with DNA breaks do not wander over time (top to bottom).
The team used correlative fluorescence and energy-filtering microscopy to watch what happens to chromatin after DSBs occur. The technique measures the amount of specific elements, in this case nitrogen and phosphorous, at each point in the sample. By looking at the ratio of the two elements, the researchers can distinguish between proteins and nucleic acids, and thus can watch how the different nuclear components behave in living cells.
The chromatin adjacent to DSBs remained in the same nuclear location even several hours after DNA breakage. However, higher-resolution imaging showed that the chromatin fibers became somewhat decondensed. Surprisingly, the chromatin...
