Fig. 11

Open and closed states in the DNA-nucleosomes interactions. Panel a Formed and broken contacts in the CG structure of the nucleosome and H3 helix:SH-6.5 distance during the period encompassing the transition from the closed to the long-lived open state in simulation 1. (a1) Closed state: a tick is displayed when a native or a new-formed interaction is present. (a2) First phase of the transition: contacts broken and formed in the first phase are the same as for the short-lived open state. (a3) Second phase of the transition: contacts are formed between the extremity of the H3 tail and the extremity of the C-terminal tail of H2A. (a4) Open state: at the end of the transition phase, the H3 tail forms new contacts with the H3 aN helix and with the C-terminal extension and the L2 loop of H2A. Interactions of the distal part of H3 are not displayed. Panel b Representation of the nucleosome in (b1) the closed state, (b2) the first and (b3) the second phases of the transition state, and (b4) in the long-lived open state. The lines correspond to the interactions displayed in a. adapted from [31] with written permission given by the original license holders)