Question

In eukaryotic cells, which processes are prevented by heterochromatin?

1) viral proliferation
2) translation
3) transposable element movement
4) transcription
5) DNA replication

Answer 1

In eukaryotic cells, heterochromatin prevents transcription, DNA replication, and the movement of transposable elements, but it does not directly inhibit viral proliferation or translation.

Step-by-step explanation:

In eukaryotic cells, heterochromatin, which is DNA that is densely packed around histone proteins, prevents several processes necessary for gene expression. Specifically, heterochromatin impedes processes including transcription, DNA replication, and the movement of transposable elements.

This tightly packed structure of chromatin ensures that the genetic information within these regions is not actively expressed since the necessary machinery cannot access the DNA sequence. Additionally, the tight packing can inhibit replication and the movement of transposable elements, providing stability to the genome. However, viral proliferation and translation are not directly prevented by heterochromatin, as these processes involve other mechanisms and occur outside of or after the chromatin remodeling process.