The folding mechanism is a part of the genetic code

Theoretical physicists have recently identified biological sensational news: our body's genetic information is not only stored in the nucleotide sequence of the DNA and it partly depends on the way DNA folds into chromosomes. Specifically, the three-dimensional structure of DNA will determine gene expression. In fact, the biologists are already aware of the things above and with the use of recombinant proteins, and they even have found the proteins which assist to fold DNA. But now it is a bunch of physicists who for the first time reveal the true mystery and what they use are computer simulation tools.

Watson and Crick discovered the double helix structure of DNA in 1953 and determined our genetic information is stored in the base pairs composed of four basic groups - G, A, C, T. These sequences will determine which kind of protein will be produced in which cell. Some DNA in all the cells in our body is the same at first, but why they can differentiate different proteins to meet so many different organ functional needs? Our stomach cells may not produce proteins that can make the eyes brown, but they need to produce digestive enzymes. Then how does such a division mechanism work? It is a complex question which needs a lot of experiments using the technology of recombinant protein to solve out.

In the 80's, scientists found that the mechanism was controlled by the folding way of DNA inside the cells. Besides, environmental factors are also significant. For example, environmental stress can activate and silence some genes. DNA folding way determines which genes can be "read" in the cells. To make it simple, the genes folded in the most remote corner are "unreadable" and genes on the outside can be "read". In this way, different cells can determine which protein that should be synthesized to meet different needs. Prior studies have shown that the mutation ways of DNA are more than one: in addition to changing the DNA nucleotide sequence, changing DNA folding is another way. Changing the shape and the folding of DNA bases and the "read" nature, the final protein synthesis will also be affected. Recombinant KEL can show the process.

More and more scientists are doing research in this area. With the understanding of controllable DNA folding, the possibility that we can finally take advantage of it is getting a little bit larger. Related articles have been published in the academic journal PLOS ONE.