A SPECIFIC CONFORMATION OF THE TERRITORY OF CHROMOSOME-17 LOCATES ERBB-2 SEQUENCES TO A DNASE-HYPERSENSITIVE DOMAIN AT THE NUCLEAR PERIPHERY

Chromatin in interphase nuclei exhibits a topology that is associated with the transcriptional state of cells. We examined the spatial, intr anuclear distribution of chromosome 17 and the ERBB-2 (HER2/neu) seque nce thereon, relative to that of DNase-hypersensitive chromatin (DHC), in breast tumour cells exhibiting different levels of expression of E RBB-2. These sequences were specifically associated with the nuclear p eriphery, within a band of DHC. The remainder of the chromosome 17 mas s showed no preferential position within the nucleus. The peripheral p lacement of ERBB-2 sequences is associated with a specific conformatio n of chromosome 17. We propose that the conformational organization of chromosome territories might represent a fundamental control mechanis m in gene expression.