Project description:We have combined biochemical purification of Mediator from chromatin with ChIP-sequencing to reveal Mediator occupupancy to DNA globally and to identify proteins interacting specifically with Mediator in chromatin. We find that Mediator occupy strong chromosomally interacting domain (CID) boundaries and nearly all tRNA genes. Purification of Mediator from chromatin shows that it interacts with proteins and protein complexes that have been shown to interact with CID boundaries such as RSC, Ssu72 and histone H4. We also show specific interaction between Mediator and the Arp2/Arp3, CPF, CF 1A and LSm, complexes in chromatin. These factors are involved in mRNA 3'-end processing, gene looping, actin assembly and mRNA decay.
Project description:We describe a Hi-C based method, Micro-C, in which micrococcal nuclease is used instead of restriction enzymes to fragment chromatin, enabling nucleosome resolution chromosome folding maps. Analysis of Micro-C maps for budding yeast reveals abundant self-associating domains similar to those reported in other species, but not previously observed in yeast. These structures, far shorted than topologically-associating domains in mammals, typically encompass one to five genes in yeast. Strong boundaries between self-associating domains occur at promoters of highly transcribed genes, and regions of rapid histone turnover that are typically bound by the RSC chromatin-remodeling complex. Investigation of chromosome folding in mutants confirms roles for RSC, “gene looping” factor Ssu72, Mediator, H3K56 acetyltransferase Rtt109, and N-terminal tail of H4 in folding of the yeast genome. This approach provides detailed structural maps of a eukaryotic genome and our findings provide insights into the machinery underlying chromosome compaction. Chromatin is fragmented by Mnase, subsequenct nucleosomal end repair, and a modified two-step method for purfiying ligation products. Using Illumina paired-end sequencing maps Micro-C library and generates nucleosome resolution contact maps. The readme.txt file contains additional description of how each processed data file was generated.
Project description:Eukaryotic genomes are folded into a hierarchy of three-dimensional structures that impact nuclear functions, including transcription, replication, and repair1-3. Studies in Drosophila and mammals have revealed megabase-sized topologically associated domains (TADs) within chromosomes, which in turn are spatially restricted within the nucleus4-8. However, little is known about local physical constraints that drive higher-order folding of chromosomes. Here we performed Hi-C analysis of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to explore genome organization at high resolution. S. pombe comprises a small genome ideal for examining structural features of chromatin folding, and contains fundamental components present in higher eukaryotes. Large domains of heterochromatin coat centromeres and telomeres and recruit cohesin, a ring-like protein complex that binds sister chromatids and mediates long range looping of interphase chromosomes. Our analyses reveal a highly ordered chromosome organization, consistent with a Rabl configuration, which is dependent on constraints imposed at centromeres and telomeres. We find that local chromatin compaction and cohesin recruitment to centromeres mediated by heterochromatin is required for maintaining global genome territorial restraint. In addition to larger complex domains, we also observed locally interacting regions of chromatin ~50 kilobases long, which organize chromosome arms into structures referred to as “globules”. Globule boundaries are enriched in cohesin and convergent gene orientation. The role of cohesin in maintaining globule domains is independent of its role in sister chromatid cohesion, as globule domains are also a feature of G1 chromosome architecture. Defect in cohesin disrupts globule domains and results in an altered chromosome organization at larger scales, including the loss of chromosome territories. Disruption of globules also affects functional annotation of the genome, leading to impairment of borders between neighboring transcriptional units. Our analyses reveal key features of chromatin organization and folding and show that distinct mechanisms uniquely impact the hierarchy of genome organization to protect genome integrity and to coordinate nuclear functions. Comparison of HiC contact maps under various conditions reveal fundamental principles of genome organization
Project description:Three-dimensional genome structure plays an important role in gene regulation. Globally chromosomes are organized into active and inactive compartments, while at the gene level looping interactions connect promoters to regulatory elements. Topologically Associating Domains (TADs), typically several hundred kilobases in size form an intermediate level of organization. Major questions include how TADs are formed and what their relation is with looping interactions between genes and regulatory elements. Here we performed a focused 5C analysis of a 2.8 Mb region on chromosome 7 surrounding CFTR in a panel of cell types. We find that the same TAD boundaries are present in all cell types, indicating that TADs represent a universal chromosome architecture. Further, we find that these TAD boundaries are present irrespective of expression and looping of genes located between them. In contrast looping interactions between promoters and regulatory elements are cell-type specific and occur mostly within TADs. This is exemplified by the CFTR promoter that in different cell types interacts with distinct sets of distal cell type-specific regulatory elements that are all located within the same TAD. Finally, we find that long-range associations between loci located in different TADs are also detected but these display much lower interaction frequencies than looping interactions within TADs. Interestingly, interactions between TADs are also highly cell type-specific and often involve loci clustered around TAD boundaries. These data point to key roles of invariant TAD boundaries in constraining as well as mediating cell type-specific long-range interactions and gene regulation. We investigated a 2.8 Mb region on Chromosome 7 (hg18 chr7: 115797757-118405450) containing the ENCODE region ENm001 42. The 5C experiment was designed to interrogate looping interactions between HindIII fragments containing transcription start sites (TSSs) and any other HindIII restriction fragment (distal fragments) in the target region. Libraries were generated for five cell lines: Caco2, Calu3, Capan1, GM12878 and HepG2, with two biological replicates for each line. 5C probes were designed at HindIII restriction sites (AAGCTT) using 5C primer design tools previously developed and made publicly available online at our My5C website (http://my5C.umassmed.edu). Probes were designed based on the ENCODE manual region 1 (ENM001) design 25 with additional probes placed throughout the region when appropriate. We also added probes to extend the analysis to include a 700 Kb gene desert region located directly adjacent to ENM001. Probe settings were: U-BLAST, 3; S-BLAST, 100; 15-MER, 3,000; MIN_FSIZE, 250; MAX_FSIZE, 20,000; OPT_TM, 65; OPT_PSIZE, 40. We designed 74 reverse 5C probes, and 605 forward 5C probes.
Project description:Chromatin is partitioned into distinct topological domains in an activity-dependent manner, with topological boundaries limiting the interaction between adjacent domains. Recent studies support the concept that several well-established nuclear compartments are assembled as ribonucleoprotein condensates. Here we ask whether the physical processes driving the assembly of the nuclear condensates play any role in three-dimensional chromatin architecture. We report that the insulation of approximately 20% of topological boundaries in human embryonic stem cells is substantially weakened following brief treatment with 1,6-hexanediol, a chemical known to disrupt several nuclear condensates. The disrupted boundaries are characterized by a high level of transcription, striking spatial clustering, and the augmented presence of transcription units widely expressed in diverse cell types. These topological boundary regions tend to be spatially associated, even inter-chromosomally, and segregate with nuclear speckles. These observations reveal a previously unappreciated mode of genome organization mediated by conserved boundary elements harboring widely-expressed transcription units and associated transcriptional condensates.
Project description:Chromatin is partitioned into distinct topological domains in an activity-dependent manner, with topological boundaries limiting the interaction between adjacent domains. Recent studies support the concept that several well-established nuclear compartments are assembled as ribonucleoprotein condensates. Here we ask whether the physical processes driving the assembly of the nuclear condensates play any role in three-dimensional chromatin architecture. We report that the insulation of approximately 20% of topological boundaries in human embryonic stem cells is substantially weakened following brief treatment with 1,6-hexanediol, a chemical known to disrupt several nuclear condensates. The disrupted boundaries are characterized by a high level of transcription, striking spatial clustering, and the augmented presence of transcription units widely expressed in diverse cell types. These topological boundary regions tend to be spatially associated, even inter-chromosomally, and segregate with nuclear speckles. These observations reveal a previously unappreciated mode of genome organization mediated by conserved boundary elements harboring widely-expressed transcription units and associated transcriptional condensates.
Project description:Chromatin is partitioned into distinct topological domains in an activity-dependent manner, with topological boundaries limiting the interaction between adjacent domains. Recent studies support the concept that several well-established nuclear compartments are assembled as ribonucleoprotein condensates. Here we ask whether the physical processes driving the assembly of the nuclear condensates play any role in three-dimensional chromatin architecture. We report that the insulation of approximately 20% of topological boundaries in human embryonic stem cells is substantially weakened following brief treatment with 1,6-hexanediol, a chemical known to disrupt several nuclear condensates. The disrupted boundaries are characterized by a high level of transcription, striking spatial clustering, and the augmented presence of transcription units widely expressed in diverse cell types. These topological boundary regions tend to be spatially associated, even inter-chromosomally, and segregate with nuclear speckles. These observations reveal a previously unappreciated mode of genome organization mediated by conserved boundary elements harboring widely-expressed transcription units and associated transcriptional condensates.
Project description:Chromatin is partitioned into distinct topological domains in an activity-dependent manner, with topological boundaries limiting the interaction between adjacent domains. Recent studies support the concept that several well-established nuclear compartments are assembled as ribonucleoprotein condensates. Here we ask whether the physical processes driving the assembly of the nuclear condensates play any role in three-dimensional chromatin architecture. We report that the insulation of approximately 20% of topological boundaries in human embryonic stem cells is substantially weakened following brief treatment with 1,6-hexanediol, a chemical known to disrupt several nuclear condensates. The disrupted boundaries are characterized by a high level of transcription, striking spatial clustering, and the augmented presence of transcription units widely expressed in diverse cell types. These topological boundary regions tend to be spatially associated, even inter-chromosomally, and segregate with nuclear speckles. These observations reveal a previously unappreciated mode of genome organization mediated by conserved boundary elements harboring widely-expressed transcription units and associated transcriptional condensates.
Project description:We describe a Hi-C based method, Micro-C, in which micrococcal nuclease is used instead of restriction enzymes to fragment chromatin, enabling nucleosome resolution chromosome folding maps. Analysis of Micro-C maps for budding yeast reveals abundant self-associating domains similar to those reported in other species, but not previously observed in yeast. These structures, far shorted than topologically-associating domains in mammals, typically encompass one to five genes in yeast. Strong boundaries between self-associating domains occur at promoters of highly transcribed genes, and regions of rapid histone turnover that are typically bound by the RSC chromatin-remodeling complex. Investigation of chromosome folding in mutants confirms roles for RSC, “gene looping” factor Ssu72, Mediator, H3K56 acetyltransferase Rtt109, and N-terminal tail of H4 in folding of the yeast genome. This approach provides detailed structural maps of a eukaryotic genome and our findings provide insights into the machinery underlying chromosome compaction.
Project description:Three-dimensional genome structure plays an important role in gene regulation. Globally chromosomes are organized into active and inactive compartments, while at the gene level looping interactions connect promoters to regulatory elements. Topologically Associating Domains (TADs), typically several hundred kilobases in size form an intermediate level of organization. Major questions include how TADs are formed and what their relation is with looping interactions between genes and regulatory elements. Here we performed a focused 5C analysis of a 2.8 Mb region on chromosome 7 surrounding CFTR in a panel of cell types. We find that the same TAD boundaries are present in all cell types, indicating that TADs represent a universal chromosome architecture. Further, we find that these TAD boundaries are present irrespective of expression and looping of genes located between them. In contrast looping interactions between promoters and regulatory elements are cell-type specific and occur mostly within TADs. This is exemplified by the CFTR promoter that in different cell types interacts with distinct sets of distal cell type-specific regulatory elements that are all located within the same TAD. Finally, we find that long-range associations between loci located in different TADs are also detected but these display much lower interaction frequencies than looping interactions within TADs. Interestingly, interactions between TADs are also highly cell type-specific and often involve loci clustered around TAD boundaries. These data point to key roles of invariant TAD boundaries in constraining as well as mediating cell type-specific long-range interactions and gene regulation.