Chromatin-driven behavior of topologically associating domains

Abstract

Metazoan genomes are highly organized inside the cell nucleus. Topologically associating domains (TADs) represent the building blocks of genome organization, but their linear modularity does not explain alone their spatial organization. Indeed, the chromatin type adorning a TAD can shape its structure and drives its nuclear positioning and its function. Genome-wide association studies revealed mainly four chromatin types: active chromatin, Polycomb-repressed chromatin, null chromatin and constitutive heterochromatin. In this review, we will describe the main three-dimensional features of each chromatin type and finally their relationships with TAD organization and epigenetic memory.

Keywords: 3D chromosome organization; Polycomb; chromatin; genome regulation; topologically associating domains.