DNase I hypersensitive site

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/dnase-i-hypersensitive-site

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What are DNase I hypersensitive sites?They are tiny spots in DNA where the chromatin is less packed, letting enzymes cut more easily. These open spots show where the DNA is ready for action.
2. Why does DNase I cut DNA more at these sites?Because the DNA is more exposed when the chromatin is open, so the enzyme can reach the phosphodiester bonds. In tight, packed areas the enzyme has a harder time cutting.

Nucleosome: The basic structural unit of DNA packaging in eukaryotes, consisting of DNA wound around a histone protein core.
Euchromatin: The less condensed form of chromatin that is transcriptionally active and rich in gene content.
Cis-regulatory Elements: DNA sequences that control the expression of genes, typically located on the same chromosome as the gene.