PLNT3140 INTRODUCTORY CYTOGENETICS

Exercise: CHROMATIN PACKING

1) Given the data listed below, calculate

a) The physical length of the Vicia faba genome

b) The packing ratio of the Vicia faba genome (ratio of DNA length to chromosome length).

c) The packing ratio of a spool of thread.

Typical eukaryotic nucleus: 3-10 µm in diameter
Combined length of all Vicia faba metaphase (root tip)
chromosomes: 0.112 mm
Vicia faba diploid genome size: 14.6 pg= 1.33 x 10¹⁰bp
1 helical turn = 10 bp = 3.4 nm
Typical spool of thread: 4.5 cm long, contains 184 M of thread.

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