Interactions among Polycomb Domains Are Guided by Chromosome Architecture

B. Tolhuis; M. Blom; R.M. Kerkhoven; L. Pagie; H. Teunissen; M. Nieuwland; M. Simonis; W. de Laat; M. van Lohuizen; B. van Steensel

doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1001343

Interactions among Polycomb Domains Are Guided by Chromosome Architecture

B. Tolhuis, M. Blom, R.M. Kerkhoven, L. Pagie, H. Teunissen, M. Nieuwland, M. Simonis, W. de Laat, M. van Lohuizen, B. van Steensel

Hubrecht Institute

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Abstract

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins bind and regulate hundreds of genes. Previous evidence has suggested that long-range chromatin interactions may contribute to the regulation of PcG target genes. Here, we adapted the Chromosome Conformation Capture on Chip (4C) assay to systematically map chromosomal interactions in Drosophila melanogaster larval brain tissue. Our results demonstrate that PcG target genes interact extensively with each other in nuclear space. These interactions are highly specific for PcG target genes, because non-target genes with either low or high expression show distinct interactions. Notably, interactions are mostly limited to genes on the same chromosome arm, and we demonstrate that a topological rather than a sequence-based mechanism is responsible for this constraint. Our results demonstrate that many interactions among PcG target genes exist and that these interactions are guided by overall chromosome architecture.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1001343
Journal	PLoS Genetics
Volume	7
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1001343
Publication status	Published - 2011

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title = "Interactions among Polycomb Domains Are Guided by Chromosome Architecture",

abstract = "Polycomb group (PcG) proteins bind and regulate hundreds of genes. Previous evidence has suggested that long-range chromatin interactions may contribute to the regulation of PcG target genes. Here, we adapted the Chromosome Conformation Capture on Chip (4C) assay to systematically map chromosomal interactions in Drosophila melanogaster larval brain tissue. Our results demonstrate that PcG target genes interact extensively with each other in nuclear space. These interactions are highly specific for PcG target genes, because non-target genes with either low or high expression show distinct interactions. Notably, interactions are mostly limited to genes on the same chromosome arm, and we demonstrate that a topological rather than a sequence-based mechanism is responsible for this constraint. Our results demonstrate that many interactions among PcG target genes exist and that these interactions are guided by overall chromosome architecture.",

author = "B. Tolhuis and M. Blom and R.M. Kerkhoven and L. Pagie and H. Teunissen and M. Nieuwland and M. Simonis and {de Laat}, W. and {van Lohuizen}, M. and {van Steensel}, B.",

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T1 - Interactions among Polycomb Domains Are Guided by Chromosome Architecture

AU - Tolhuis, B.

AU - Blom, M.

AU - Kerkhoven, R.M.

AU - Pagie, L.

AU - Teunissen, H.

AU - Nieuwland, M.

AU - Simonis, M.

AU - de Laat, W.

AU - van Lohuizen, M.

AU - van Steensel, B.

N1 - Reporting year: 2011

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - Polycomb group (PcG) proteins bind and regulate hundreds of genes. Previous evidence has suggested that long-range chromatin interactions may contribute to the regulation of PcG target genes. Here, we adapted the Chromosome Conformation Capture on Chip (4C) assay to systematically map chromosomal interactions in Drosophila melanogaster larval brain tissue. Our results demonstrate that PcG target genes interact extensively with each other in nuclear space. These interactions are highly specific for PcG target genes, because non-target genes with either low or high expression show distinct interactions. Notably, interactions are mostly limited to genes on the same chromosome arm, and we demonstrate that a topological rather than a sequence-based mechanism is responsible for this constraint. Our results demonstrate that many interactions among PcG target genes exist and that these interactions are guided by overall chromosome architecture.

AB - Polycomb group (PcG) proteins bind and regulate hundreds of genes. Previous evidence has suggested that long-range chromatin interactions may contribute to the regulation of PcG target genes. Here, we adapted the Chromosome Conformation Capture on Chip (4C) assay to systematically map chromosomal interactions in Drosophila melanogaster larval brain tissue. Our results demonstrate that PcG target genes interact extensively with each other in nuclear space. These interactions are highly specific for PcG target genes, because non-target genes with either low or high expression show distinct interactions. Notably, interactions are mostly limited to genes on the same chromosome arm, and we demonstrate that a topological rather than a sequence-based mechanism is responsible for this constraint. Our results demonstrate that many interactions among PcG target genes exist and that these interactions are guided by overall chromosome architecture.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pgen.1001343

DO - 10.1371/journal.pgen.1001343

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JO - PLoS Genetics

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Interactions among Polycomb Domains Are Guided by Chromosome Architecture

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