Comprehensive mapping of long range interactions reveals folding principles of the human genome
https://reasonandscience.catsboard.com/t2301-comprehensive-mapping-of-long-range-interactions-reveals-folding-principles-of-the-human-genome
We describe Hi-C, a method that probes the three-dimensional architecture of whole genomes by coupling proximity-based ligation with massively parallel sequencing. We constructed spatial proximity maps of the human genome with Hi-C at a resolution of 1Mb. These maps confirm the presence of chromosome territories and the spatial proximity of small, gene rich chromosomes. We identified an additional level of genome organization that is characterized by the spatial segregation of open and closed chromatin to form two genome-wide compartments. At the megabase scale, the chromatin conformation is consistent with a fractal globule, a knot-free conformation that enables maximally dense packing while preserving the ability to easily fold and unfold any genomic locus. The fractal globule is distinct from the more commonly used globular equilibrium model. Our results demonstrate the power of Hi-C to map the dynamic conformations of whole genomes.
The local packing of chromatin is consistent with the behavior of a fractal globule.
(A) Contact probability as a function of genomic distance, averaged across the genome (blue) shows a power law scaling between 500kb and 7Mb (shaded region) with a slope of −1.08 (fit shown in cyan). (B) Simulation results for contact probability as a function of distance (1 monomer~6 nucleosomes~1200 bp, SOM) for equilibrium (red) and fractal (blue) globules. The slope for a fractal globule is very nearly −1 (cyan), confirming our prediction (SOM). The slope for an equilibrium globule is −3/2, matching prior theoretical expectations. The slope for the fractal globule closely resembles the slope we observed in the genome. (C) Top:An unfolded polymer chain, 4000 monomers (4.8 Mb) long. Coloration corresponds to distance from one endpoint, ranging from blue to cyan, green, yellow, orange, and red. Middle: An equilibrium globule. The structure is highly entangled; loci that are nearby along the contour (similar color) need not be nearby in 3D. Bottom: A fractal globule. Nearby loci along the contour tend to be nearby in 3D, leading to monochromatic blocks both on the surface and in cross-section. The structure lacks knots. (D) Genome architecture at three scales. Top: Two compartments, corresponding to open and closed chromatin, spatially partition the genome. Chromosomes (blue, cyan, green) occupy distinct territories. Middle: Individual chromosomes weave back-and-forth between the open and closed chromatin compartments. Bottom: At the scale of single megabases, the chromosome consists of a series of fractal globules.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2858594/
https://reasonandscience.catsboard.com/t2301-comprehensive-mapping-of-long-range-interactions-reveals-folding-principles-of-the-human-genome
We describe Hi-C, a method that probes the three-dimensional architecture of whole genomes by coupling proximity-based ligation with massively parallel sequencing. We constructed spatial proximity maps of the human genome with Hi-C at a resolution of 1Mb. These maps confirm the presence of chromosome territories and the spatial proximity of small, gene rich chromosomes. We identified an additional level of genome organization that is characterized by the spatial segregation of open and closed chromatin to form two genome-wide compartments. At the megabase scale, the chromatin conformation is consistent with a fractal globule, a knot-free conformation that enables maximally dense packing while preserving the ability to easily fold and unfold any genomic locus. The fractal globule is distinct from the more commonly used globular equilibrium model. Our results demonstrate the power of Hi-C to map the dynamic conformations of whole genomes.
The local packing of chromatin is consistent with the behavior of a fractal globule.
(A) Contact probability as a function of genomic distance, averaged across the genome (blue) shows a power law scaling between 500kb and 7Mb (shaded region) with a slope of −1.08 (fit shown in cyan). (B) Simulation results for contact probability as a function of distance (1 monomer~6 nucleosomes~1200 bp, SOM) for equilibrium (red) and fractal (blue) globules. The slope for a fractal globule is very nearly −1 (cyan), confirming our prediction (SOM). The slope for an equilibrium globule is −3/2, matching prior theoretical expectations. The slope for the fractal globule closely resembles the slope we observed in the genome. (C) Top:An unfolded polymer chain, 4000 monomers (4.8 Mb) long. Coloration corresponds to distance from one endpoint, ranging from blue to cyan, green, yellow, orange, and red. Middle: An equilibrium globule. The structure is highly entangled; loci that are nearby along the contour (similar color) need not be nearby in 3D. Bottom: A fractal globule. Nearby loci along the contour tend to be nearby in 3D, leading to monochromatic blocks both on the surface and in cross-section. The structure lacks knots. (D) Genome architecture at three scales. Top: Two compartments, corresponding to open and closed chromatin, spatially partition the genome. Chromosomes (blue, cyan, green) occupy distinct territories. Middle: Individual chromosomes weave back-and-forth between the open and closed chromatin compartments. Bottom: At the scale of single megabases, the chromosome consists of a series of fractal globules.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2858594/
