For more than 20 years, scientists have known the complete sequence of the human genome. But a crucial question remained unanswered—how does this genetic code physically organize itself within living cells and control life?
Now, this question has been answered with unprecedented clarity.
Researchers at the University of Oxford, working within the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, have created the most detailed map of the genome's three-dimensional structure to date—resolved down to the level of individual DNA base pairs.
Using a newly developed technique called MCC Ultra, the research team directly observed how DNA twists, loops, and bends within the cell nucleus. This revealed how genes are physically exposed or hidden—and which genes are active and which are inactive.
This discovery presents a fundamental principle of biology in a new framework.
It's not just the genetic code that matters—but also how that code is organized in space.
Within each cell, DNA, approximately two meters long, is contained in the nucleus, which is smaller than a tenth of a millimeter. DNA doesn't lie flat—it forms organized loops and domains that bring distant regions into contact with each other. These loop structures act as regulatory switches—allowing some genes to be read while keeping others inactive.
Until now, scientists have only been able to view this structure at relatively low resolution. MCC Ultra technology captures these interactions with base-by-base accuracy, revealing how non-coding regions of DNA physically connect to and regulate genes.
This is important because more than 90% of genetic variations associated with disease are found not within genes, but in these regulatory regions. By understanding this three-dimensional switching system of the genome, scientists can better study cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders and identify new treatment targets.
The study also presents a new model that suggests electromagnetic forces may play a role in organizing DNA loop structures into small groups (clusters)—creating local "islands" of gene activity and co-expression.
For the first time in history, the structure of the genome is no longer merely theoretical or speculative—but visible.
This work marks a turning point in understanding genetics, pathology, and the physical workings of life.
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