Chromatin is viewed as an operational interface for almost all known nuclear processes. Nucleosomal packaging and histone modifications dictate the different
degrees of primary chromatin compaction achieved by additional chromatin structural proteins. For example, euchromatic chromatin fibers contain six nucleosomes per
11 nm; however, heterochromatin consists of 12–15 nucleosomes per 11 nm. A dynamic balance between these two radically different chromatin compaction states is
at the very core of the high-level nuclear chromatin organization (nuclear architecture), and is vital for maintaining cell-type identity over time.
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