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July 28, 2011

First 3-D Genome Image

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), have shown for the first time, how a genome--the most essential part of the cell for storing and accessing genetic information--is organized in three-dimensional space. This 3-D rendering is an immunoglobulin locus in B cells, showing the relative positions of various portions of immunoglobulin genes. The gray band indicates constant regions; blue defines proximal variable regions; and green are distal variable regions. The red band indicates the linker connecting the proximal variable and joining regions. Research was conducted by Cornelis Murre, professor of biology at UCSD, and Steve Cutchin, senior scientist for visualization services at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC). The image was developed by Amit Chourasia of SDSC. Results are published in the April 18 issue of the journal Cell. The National Science Foundation is the primary funding source for the SDSC. [Image taken from the SDSC Multimedia Gallery.] (Date of Image: 2008)

Credit: C. Murre, UC-San Diego; S. Cutchin and A. Chourasia SDSC/UC-San Diego; Source: San Diego Supercomputer Center, UC-San Diego

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