Question

In the prokaryotic DNA compaction pathway, what is the diameter of relaxed circular DNA?

Options

• ~350 µm

• ~1100 µm (perimeter)

• ~2 µm

• ~30 µm

Answer 1

The first step in prokaryotic DNA compaction begins with relaxed circular DNA, which has a perimeter of approximately 1100 micrometres. This is then progressively compacted through circularisation to ~350 µm, looping to ~30 µm, and finally supercoiling to achieve the ~2 µm diameter of the supercoiled nucleoid.