Project description:Mammalian genomes contain several billion base pairs of DNA which are packaged in chromatin fibers. At selected gene loci, cohesin complexes have been proposed to arrange chromatin fibers into higher-order structures, but it is poorly understood how cohesin performs this task, how important this function is for determining the structure of chromosomes, and how this process is regulated to allow changes in gene expression. Here we show that the cohesin release factor Wapl controls chromatin structure and gene regulation at numerous loci throughout the mouse genome. Conditional deletion of the Wapl gene leads to stable accumulation of cohesin on chromatin, chromatin compaction, altered gene expression, cell cycle delay, chromosome segregation defects and embryonic lethality. In Wapl deficient chromosomes, cohesin accumulates in an axial domain, similar to how condensins form a M-bM-^@M-^\scaffoldM-bM-^@M-^] in mitotic chromosomes. We propose that Wapl controls chromatin structure and gene regulation by determining the residence time with which cohesin binds to DNA. 4 biological replicates for each genotype (Wapl +/F; Wapl -/F) treated with/without 4-OHT =16 samples
Project description:Mammalian genomes contain several billion base pairs of DNA which are packaged in chromatin fibers. At selected gene loci, cohesin complexes have been proposed to arrange chromatin fibers into higher-order structures, but it is poorly understood how cohesin performs this task, how important this function is for determining the structure of chromosomes, and how this process is regulated to allow changes in gene expression. Here we show that the cohesin release factor Wapl controls chromatin structure and gene regulation at numerous loci throughout the mouse genome. Conditional deletion of the Wapl gene leads to stable accumulation of cohesin on chromatin, chromatin compaction, altered gene expression, cell cycle delay, chromosome segregation defects and embryonic lethality. In Wapl deficient chromosomes, cohesin accumulates in an axial domain, similar to how condensins form a “scaffold” in mitotic chromosomes. We propose that Wapl controls chromatin structure and gene regulation by determining the residence time with which cohesin binds to DNA. ChIP-Seq using two different antibodies (CTCF, Smc3); one (CTCF) and two (Smc3) replicates; two different genotypes (Wapl +/delta, Wapl -/delta). The control sample is a single-replicate INPUT for each genotype.
Project description:The spatial organization of chromosomes influences many nuclear processes including gene expression. The ring-shaped cohesin complex shapes the 3D genome by looping together convergent CTCF sites along chromosomes. We show here with high-resolution Hi-C analysis that chromatin loop size can be increased, and that cohesin’s DNA release factor WAPL restricts the degree of this extension. WAPL alsoincreased, and that cohesin’s DNA release factor WAPL restricts the degree of this extension. WAPL also prevents looping between incorrectly oriented CTCF sites. Through haploid genetics we find that WAPL deficiency bypasses the need for cohesin’s DNA loader SCC4 and we reveal that SCC4 promotes the extension of chromatin loops. We provide functional evidence in support of the model that chromatin loops are processively enlarged by the extrusion of DNA from cohesin rings. We conclude that the balanced activity of SCC4 and WAPL enables cohesin to correctly structure chromosomes to ensure proper transcriptional control.
Project description:The spatial organization of chromosomes influences many nuclear processes including gene expression. The ring-shaped cohesin complex shapes the 3D genome by looping together convergent CTCF sites along chromosomes. We show here with high-resolution Hi-C analysis that chromatin loop size can be increased, and that cohesin’s DNA release factor WAPL restricts the degree of this extension. WAPL alsoincreased, and that cohesin’s DNA release factor WAPL restricts the degree of this extension. WAPL also prevents looping between incorrectly oriented CTCF sites. Through haploid genetics we find that WAPL deficiency bypasses the need for cohesin’s DNA loader SCC4 and we reveal that SCC4 promotes the extension of chromatin loops. We provide functional evidence in support of the model that chromatin loops are processively enlarged by the extrusion of DNA from cohesin rings. We conclude that the balanced activity of SCC4 and WAPL enables cohesin to correctly structure chromosomes to ensure proper transcriptional control.
Project description:The spatial organization of chromosomes influences many nuclear processes including gene expression. The ring-shaped cohesin complex shapes the 3D genome by looping together convergent CTCF sites along chromosomes. We show here with high-resolution Hi-C analysis that chromatin loop size can be increased, and that cohesin’s DNA release factor WAPL restricts the degree of this extension. WAPL alsoincreased, and that cohesin’s DNA release factor WAPL restricts the degree of this extension. WAPL also prevents looping between incorrectly oriented CTCF sites. Through haploid genetics we find that WAPL deficiency bypasses the need for cohesin’s DNA loader SCC4 and we reveal that SCC4 promotes the extension of chromatin loops. We provide functional evidence in support of the model that chromatin loops are processively enlarged by the extrusion of DNA from cohesin rings. We conclude that the balanced activity of SCC4 and WAPL enables cohesin to correctly structure chromosomes to ensure proper transcriptional control.
Project description:Cohesin rings interact with DNA and modulate expression of thousands of genes. NIPBL loads cohesin onto chromosomes and WAPL takes it off. Heterozygous mutations in NIPBL lead to a developmental disorder called Cornelia de Lange syndrome. Nipbl heterozygous mice are a good model for this disease. Mutations in WAPL were not known to cause disease or gene expression changes in mammals. Here we show dysregulation of >1000 genes in Wapl-/+embryonic mouse brains. The patterns of dysregulation are highly similar in Wapl and Nipbl heterozygotes, suggesting that Wapl mutations may cause disease in humans. Since WAPL and NIPBL have opposite effects on cohesin’s association with DNA, we asked whether a heterozygous Wapl mutation could correct phenotypes seen in Nipbl heterozygous mice. In fact, both gene expression and embryonic growth are partially corrected. Our data are consistent with the view that cohesin dynamics play a key role in regulating gene expression.
Project description:We analysed the effect on the genomic localisation of cohesin (Stag1 and Scc1) and CTCF in CTCF, Smc3 and Wapl single depleted as well as CTCF Wapl double depleted mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Furthermore, we addressed the effect of CTCF and Smc3 depletion on gene expression as measured by RNA-Seq and the transcriptional activity in CTCF and Wapl double depleted cells by GRO-Seq.
Project description:Cohesin acetylation by Eco1 during DNA replication establishes sister chromatid cohesion. We show that acetylation makes cohesin resistant to Wapl activity from S-phase until mitosis. Wapl turns out to be a key regulator of cohesin dynamics on chromosomes by controling cohesin maintenance following its establishment in S-phase and its role in chromosome condensation. The Affymetrix Yeast Genome 2.0 Arrays were used to analyze the expression profile of wt and waplM-bM-^HM-^F cells.
Project description:Cohesin acetylation by Eco1 during DNA replication establishes sister chromatid cohesion. We show that acetylation makes cohesin resistant to Wapl activity from S-phase until mitosis. Wapl turns out to be a key regulator of cohesin dynamics on chromosomes by controling cohesin maintenance following its establishment in S-phase and its role in chromosome condensation. The Affymetrix Saccharomyces cerevisiae Chip Tiling 1.0F Arrays were used to analyze the incorporation of BrdU in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in S-phase arrested cells.