If you have ever studied any chemistry or biology, you have a very good chance to see a general illustrative representation of what a chromosome should look like.

As millions of high schools and graduates testify, it is a tall, narrow X-shape – visualizing how the two chromatids formed after DNA transcription took place, but before cell division was complete, they separated into individual chromosomes.

Unfortunately, there is a small problem with this ubiquitous symbol, scientists say, at least how accurate its depiction is.

“Chromosomes do not exist 90 percent of the time.” Says Physician-scientist Jun-Han Su, formerly at Harvard University.

In a study published this year, Su and his team came up with a new way Chromat 3D organization imaging In human cells, X provides a more nuanced understanding of chromosome chemistry than X does.

(Xiaoi Shuang Lab)

Above: Multi-color image of chromat with multiplexed fluorescence in situ hybridization and super resolution microscopy.

“Determining the 3D organization is very important,” Says Xiaoi Zhuang, a senior researcher, “to understand the molecular systems under organization and how this organization regulates genome activity.”

Uses a new high-resolution 3D imaging system that combines multiple snapshots Genomic Loki Through DNA networks – researchers have been able to get to know chromosomes more closely than ever before and to see aspects of transcription work.

High school and CHEM101 will never be the same. Team Sharing their data online So other researchers can take their analysis further, so that in the future we can explore this (almost) invisible part of ourselves.

“We envisage a broad application of high-throughput, multi-scale, multi-model imaging technology that provides an integrated view of the native structural and functional context of the chromatin organization.” The team explains.

Findings reported Cell.