Fig. 7: Disulfide bridging maintains nuclear compaction and shaping.
From: Biophysical ordering transitions underlie genome 3D re-organization during cricket spermiogenesis
A Nuclear decondensation is modeled by the release of applied extensional forces, and leads to a rapid relaxation towards a spherical envelope shape via a transient, corkscrew-like intermediary morphology. B Chromatin is readily decondensed upon treatment with reducing agent DTT. Epifluorescence images of mature spermatids isolated from female spermatheca, labeled for DNA and exposed to 25 mM DTT. Chromatin decondensation pattern is consistent with simulated data and suggests that protamine disulfide bridges maintain the needle-like nuclear morphology.
