Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42507729›Full record

ArticlePLoS computational biology2026

Deciphering chromatin architecture and dynamics in Plasmodium falciparum using the nucDetective pipeline.

Simon Holzinger, Leo Schmutterer, Victoria Marie Rothe, Maria Theresia Watzlowik, Uwe Schwartz, Gernot Längst

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS computational biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Simon HolzingerRegensburg Center for Biochemistry (RCB), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Leo SchmuttererRegensburg Center for Biochemistry (RCB), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Victoria Marie RotheRegensburg Center for Biochemistry (RCB), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Maria Theresia WatzlowikRegensburg Center for Biochemistry (RCB), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Uwe SchwartzNGS Analysis Center Biology and Pre-clinical Medicine, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Gernot LängstRegensburg Center for Biochemistry (RCB), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8232-1179

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

High-resolution analysis of cellular chromatin structure is crucial for uncovering developmental and cell-type-specific regulatory networks. We developed the nucDetective pipeline to provide a comprehensive evaluation of chromatin organisation. This involves assessing nucleosome positioning, occupancy, fuzziness, and array regularity. The pipeline was benchmarked by analysing the chromatin structure of the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) during its erythrocytic development cycle. Pf is characterised by a unique chromatin landscape, exhibiting unstable nucleosomes and a genomic AT-content exceeding 80%, which presents challenges for standard MNase-seq analysis of chromatin. The nucDetective pipeline provides specific, high-resolution nucleosome profiles for the different asexual stages of Pf, monitoring the dynamics of individual nucleosomes. Contrary to the current view of irregular chromatin, we demonstrate for the first time regular phased nucleosome arrays downstream of TSSs, which, together with the established +1 nucleosome and upstream nucleosome-depleted region, reveal a complete canonical eukaryotic promoter architecture in Pf. The global mean nucleosome repeat length varies from 176 bp to 185 bp depending on the developmental stage. Stage specific changes in nucleosome positioning occur locally in intergenic regulatory regions, which are characterized by specific histone modifications and variants. Dynamic nucleosomes correlate with DNA accessibility, gene expression and determine the access to transcription factor binding sites in Pf. The highly regular chromatin structure, with stage-specific structural alterations, emphasises the important role of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating the complex life cycles of Pf.

Indexed as

ChromatinPlasmodium falciparumChromatin Assembly and DisassemblyComputational BiologyHistonesNucleosomesPromoter Regions, GeneticChromatinHistonesNucleosomes

Identifiers

PMID42507729
PMCPMC13426949

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.