Development of Chromatin Profiling through Maize Genomes

Florida State University biologists led by Hank Bass developed a new approach of chromatin profiling. This was developed through studying the chromatin structure present in 12 different sample tissues of maize and mapping this chromatin.

Their findings show that exposure of the different maize genome samples in an enzyme has led to the discovery of hypersensitive regions in the DNA. The regions were also found to be associated with gene regulation. Through these observed findings, they were able to reveal biochemical signatures of DNA. These were then compared to other organisms through the use of infrared goggles in a dark forest. 

"We have found new ways to see really important parts of the chromatin," Bass said.

This profiling technique is also applicable to other plants and mammals.

Read the news article at http://news.fsu.edu/More-FSU-News/Maize-analysis-yields-whole-new-world-of-genetic-science, further details of the study are available at http://www.plantcell.org/content/early/2014/10/31/tpc.114.130609.full.pdf+html?sid=e80abe87-e841-48c5-a8bf-0943d59e82d3.