What constitutes chromatin?

Chromatin is primarily composed of a mixture of DNA and proteins. This structure is essential for packaging the long DNA molecules into a more compact, manageable form, allowing them to fit inside the nucleus of a cell. The proteins associated with chromatin include histones, which play a critical role in the structural organization of DNA and its regulation.

The combination of DNA and proteins allows chromatin to serve not only as a physical storage for genetic information but also as a dynamic entity that can regulate gene expression and DNA replication. The way that DNA wraps around histones, forming nucleosomes, is fundamental for the higher-order structure of chromatin, which influences how genes are accessed and expressed.

This composition is pivotal in the cell cycle, especially during processes like mitosis. Alterations in chromatin structure can lead to significant consequences for how genes are expressed, thus affecting cell function and development.