Gene regulation is a major issue in biology - how are different genes activated in different tissues or at different times in life, and how and which genes interact with each other? A major breakthrough in the understanding of this issue is about to be published in the scientific journal PLoS Biology¹ by Miguel R. Branco and Ana Pombo, two Portuguese scientists at the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, UK. The two scientists show that chromosomes in the nucleus of metabolically active cells are largely intermingled, and that this physical contact is associated with their gene activity. The researchers propose that chromosomes exist in an intricate network of interactions, which are specific for each cell type, and which result in interactions between genes of different chromosomes. Identification and study of these physical contact points will help scientists to better understand gene regulation in processes as diverse as cancer or human evolution.

*  "This article is the result of a project for the divulgation of portuguese science" http://www.cienciahoje.pt/1455"