chromatin
/ˈkrəʊmətɪn
/noun [mass noun] Biology
The material of which the chromosomes of organisms other than bacteria (i.e. eukaryotes) are composed, consisting of protein, RNA, and DNA.The structure of chromatin is intimately linked to the function of the eukaryotic genome....
- Under normal conditions equal amounts of the four core histones are incorporated into chromatin.
- The de novo assembly of silent chromatin requires passage through the S phase of the cell cycle.
Origin
Late 19th century: coined in German from Greek khrōma, khrōmat- 'colour'.