Measurement of local chromatin compaction by spectral precision distance microscopy

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) offers an appropriate technique to specifically label any given chromatin region by multi spectrally labeled, specific DNA probes. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy, quantitative measurements on the spatial distribution of labeling sites can be performed in 3D conserved cell nuclei. Recently, 'Spectral Precision Distance Microscopy' has been developed that allows 3D distance measurements between point-like fluorescence objects of different spectral signatures far beyond the diffraction limited resolution. In a well characterized and sequenced DNA region, the Prader- Willi/Angelman region q11-13 on chromosome 15, geometric distances between the fluorescence intensity bary centers of four different 'point-like' labeling sites were measured. More than 300 cell nuclei were evaluated with a 3D resolution equivalent better than 100 nm. The geometric bary center distances in nanometers were compared with the genomic bary center distance in kilobases (kb). A direct correlation, for instance linear correlation between geometric and genomic distances was not observed. From the measured values, a local compaction factor for the high order chromatin folding in the analyzed genome region was calculated. Along the 1000 kb chromatin segment analyzed, which spans nearly the compete Prader-Willi/Angelman region, different compaction factors were found. The compaction factor 40 typical for a straight 30 nm chromatin fiber was not observed. This shows that chromatin folding and compaction in intact nuclei may be more complex. With SPDM, however, a microscopical technique is available that can sensitively analyze chromatin organization in the 100 nm range in 3D conserved cell nuclei.