Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!aecom!werner
From: werner@aecom.YU.EDU (Craig Werner)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Chromosome Topology of the Human Genome
Message-ID: <2084@aecom.YU.EDU>
Date: 29 Dec 88 06:51:43 GMT
References: <17231@dhw68k.cts.com> <23046@beta.lanl.gov>
Distribution: na
Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 36

In article <23046@beta.lanl.gov>, dd@beta.lanl.gov (Dan Davison) writes:
> In article <17231@dhw68k.cts.com>, stein@dhw68k.cts.com (Rick Stein) writes:
> > I'm curious to know why the DNA material is "stored" in this conformation
> > as opposed to some other topology.  Presumably, there is some "glue protein"
> > which forces the genetic material into this shape.  Does anyone know what
> > they call this "glue?"
> 
> 
> There is a problem in a chapter of the original Lehninger Biochemistry
> text that will give you the flavor of the problem.  Leaving *lots* of
> other problems aside, the DNA in a human cell if a single straight
> strand would just about make it to the moon (if I am recalling the
> problem correctly).  

	The DNA from a single cell can be measured in centimeters.  The
DNA from a single human being (all told) would probably make it to the
moon.
	You could probably figure it out: 5 * 10^10 nucleotides.
Unfortunately I don't have the inter-nucleotide distance handy, but the
unit is in Angstroms.
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-- 
	        Craig Werner   (future MD/PhD, 4 years down, 3 to go)
	     werner@aecom.YU.EDU -- Albert Einstein College of Medicine
              (1935-14E Eastchester Rd., Bronx NY 10461, 212-931-2517)
 "Until it's on daytime television, it's impossible, and that's the final word."