'Jumping genes' help stabilize DNA folding patterns

(Washington University School of Medicine) The DNA molecule inside the nucleus of any human cell is more than six feet long. To fit into such a small space, it must fold into precise loops that also govern how genes are turned on or off. New research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that 'jumping genes' play a surprising role in stabilizing the 3D folding patterns of the DNA molecule inside the cell's nucleus.