Question

Explain how DNA, which is six feet long, can be stored in the nucleus of a tiny human cell.

Answer 1

Explanation:

Packed inside the nucleus of every human cell is nearly 6 feet of DNA, which is divided into 46 individual molecules, one for each chromosome and each about 1.5 inches long. Packing all this material into a microscopic cell nucleus is an extraordinary feat of packaging. For DNA to function, it can't be crammed into the nucleus like a ball of string. Instead, it is combined with proteins and organized into a precise, compact structure, a dense string-like fiber called chromatin.

Answer 2

DNA hat is six feet long, can be stored in the nucleus of a tiny human cell due to compact packaging.

• Around 2.2m of DNA is extensively packed in the form of 46 chromosomes within the nucleus of a human cell.
• DNA is negatively charged. It is compactly packed around positively charged basic proteins called histone proteins.
• DNA strands are wrapped around a structure called the histone octamer. The structure thus formed is called a nucleosome.
• This structure is unique to the eukaryotic nucleus like the human cell.
• The nucleosomes are further packed to form chromatin fibers that condense to form chromosomes.