The nucleosome core particle is at the lowest level of DNA compaction, a mechanism that enables the DNA to fit inside the cell nucleus. Multiple nucleosomes, connected to each other like beads on a...Show moreThe nucleosome core particle is at the lowest level of DNA compaction, a mechanism that enables the DNA to fit inside the cell nucleus. Multiple nucleosomes, connected to each other like beads on a string, can stack tightly together to form the chromatin fiber. The compact form of this structure hinders external proteins and enzymes from accessing the nucleosomal DNA and using them in fundamental DNA processes. Nucleosome breathing is a process in which access is facilitated by the transient unwrapping of the nucleosome, thereby exposing the otherwise occluded DNA. This thesis investigates the nucleosome breathing mechanism in a dinucleosome system, a sub-structure of the chromatin fiber where two identical nucleosomes with varying DNA sequence are connected by a piece of linker DNA of varying length. The accessibility of the nucleosomal binding sites is modelled through a statistical model, expressing the breathing process in terms of the adsorption energy of the binding sites and the elasticity of the bent DNA in a dinucleosome configuration. The elastic energy of the bent linker DNA and nucleosomal DNA during the breathing process is estimated through a Monte-Carlo simulation. The results make clear that binding sites in such a dinucleosome structure are much more accessible than binding sites in a mononucleosome. Our findings show that the length of the linker DNA and the sequence of the nucleosomes are a determining factor of the dinucleosome configuration, thereby suggesting that these parameters play an important role in regulating the accessibility of higher order structures such as the chromatin fiber.Show less
Research master thesis | Arts and Culture (research) (MA)
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In the last three decades, the world has changed tremendously because of the internet and new digital technologies. This change has affected the way how cultural institutions are working internally...Show moreIn the last three decades, the world has changed tremendously because of the internet and new digital technologies. This change has affected the way how cultural institutions are working internally and also the external interaction with the public. Starting from the 1990s onwards, digital exhibitions have evolved. Digital textile and dress exhibitions are not restricted by time or place and grant broad public access to the collection of institutions. With the case study of the Textile Research Centre (TRC), this thesis shows the benefits and limitations of digital textile and dress exhibitions for opening up access to heritage collections and analyzes its prejudices and barriers. The research is carried out through a literature review, an extensive critical visual analysis and a digital lace exhibition that has been conducted in the frame of this work. The analyzation shows that virtual exhibitions are more accessible when providing a user-friendly layout, quality images of the objects, and the quality of information.Show less
Subtitlers often find themselves choosing between adhering to subtitling constraints and improving the target audience's understanding of the source material. In other words, they make choices...Show moreSubtitlers often find themselves choosing between adhering to subtitling constraints and improving the target audience's understanding of the source material. In other words, they make choices between condensation and accessibility. This thesis examines how references to political discourse are translated in Netflix's series House of Cards, from English to Dutch. These references were categorized by using a translation taxonomy (Pedersen, 2005/2011). This categorization process demonstrated how the Official Equivalent translation strategy can be problematic, and a tendency to choose (cultural) accessibility over condensation in general.Show less
