{
  "abstract": "In eukaryotes, meters of DNA are packaged into micrometer scale nuclei. Nucleosomes, as the major organizational unit, have been extensively studied in vitro, yet the elaborate 3D structure of chromatin inside cells and its distinct oligo-nucleosome arrangements remain poorly resolved. Here, we combine cryo-electron tomography with template matching, subtomogram averaging and molecular simulations to visualize nucleosomes and chromatin structure inside human cells. We confidently assign individual nucleosomes and report their in-situ structure at secondary structure resolution. By predicting the paths of linker DNA, we identify oligo-nucleosome arrangements and uncover higher-order chromatin structures in situ, including a 37-nm wide, elongated but non-fibrous arrangement. In situ structural biology thus reveals the molecular chromatin organization inside cells and sets the stage for 3D genomics.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Molecular Sociology, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, Frankfurt am Main, Germany",
    "IMPRS on Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, Frankfurt am Main, Germany",
    "Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, Frankfurt am Main, Germany",
    "Department of Infectious Diseases, Integrative Virology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany",
    "Department of Molecular Sociology, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. beata.turonova@biophys.mpg.de",
    "Department of Infectious Diseases, Integrative Virology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany. Marina.Lusic@med.uni-heidelberg.de",
    "Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. gerhard.hummer@biophys.mpg.de",
    "Institute of Biophysics, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. gerhard.hummer@biophys.mpg.de",
    "Department of Molecular Sociology, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. martin.beck@biophys.mpg.de",
    "Institute of Biochemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. martin.beck@biophys.mpg.de"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jan Philipp Kreysing",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4770-6313"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Sergio Cruz-León",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1256-2206"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Johannes Betz",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0910-6576"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Carlotta Penzo",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0558-0759"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Tomáš Majtner",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5279-8806"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Markus Schreiber",
      "orcid": "0009-0008-4485-4792"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Beata Turoňová",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5457-4478"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Marina Lušić",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0120-3569"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Gerhard Hummer",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7768-746X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8,
        9
      ],
      "name": "Martin Beck",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7397-1321"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ajpgmm8hnqte4.bib",
  "cited_by": 22,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41467-026-75087-5",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "ajpgmm8hnqte4",
  "issns": [
    "2041-1723"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-75087-5",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W4409325723",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-75087-5.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13332202",
  "pmid": "42399220",
  "published": "2026-07-03",
  "publisher": "Nature Portfolio",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ajpgmm8hnqte4.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:26:46Z",
      "native_id": "W4409325723",
      "source": "openalex",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-75087-5"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1312|Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics",
      "subfield": "molecular-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Molecular architecture of heterochromatin at the nuclear periphery of primary human cells",
  "title_text": "Molecular architecture of heterochromatin at the nuclear periphery of primary human cells",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-08T13:20:41Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ajpgmm8hnqte4",
  "venue": "Nature Communications",
  "versions": []
}