Adaptive elastic properties of chromatin fiber

Chromatin is a complex of DNA and specific proteins forming an intermediary level of organization of eukaryotic genomes, between double-stranded DNA and chromosome. Within a generic modeling of chromatin assembly, we investigate the interplay between the mechanical properties of the chromatin fiber and its biological functions. A quantitative step is to relate the mechanics at the DNA level and the mechanics described at the chromatin fiber level. It allows to calculate the complete set of chromatin elastic constants (twist and bend persistence lengths, stretch modulus and twist–stretch coupling constant), in terms of DNA elastic properties and geometric features of the fiber. These elastic constants are strongly sensitive to the local architecture of the fiber and we argue that this tunable elasticity might be a key feature in chromatin functions, for instance in the initiation and regulation of transcription. Moreover, this analysis provides a framework to interpret micromanipulation studies of chromatin fiber and suggests further experiments involving intercalators to scan the tunable elasticity of the fiber.