Structural features of giant genome compaction in plants

Genetic information in eukaryotic cells is encoded in linear DNA molecules that contain sequences that specify all the proteins of the organism. In living cells, these DNA molecules are compacted within interphase nuclei and mitotic chromosomes. Some plants and animals have gigantic genomes that consist mainly of non-coding sequences. The emergence of such genomes during evolution required the development of new mechanisms for DNA compaction in both interphase nuclei and mitotic chromosomes. This review examines recent findings on the structural mechanisms underlying DNA compaction in nuclei and chromosomes of organisms with giant genomes.