Rearrangement of chromatin domains in cancer and development

Abstract Both the accomplishment of developmental programs and neoplastic transformation are linked to changes in the long‐range organization of chromatin, in particular, DNA loop domains. The development of new methods that allow the study of interactions between the bases of DNA loops and the proteins of the nuclear matrix will help our understanding of the molecular mechanisms in such changes. These methods should also allow the establishment of a fingerprint “signature” for many cancers that may serve for diagnostic purposes. J. Cell. Biochem. Suppl. 35:54–60, 2000. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.