University of Massachusetts Medical School Faculty Publications
Title
Mechanisms and Functions of Chromosome Compartmentalization
UMMS Affiliation
Program in Systems Biology; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
Publication Date
2020-05-01
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins | Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology | Genetics and Genomics
Abstract
Active and inactive chromatin are spatially separated in the nucleus. In Hi-C data, this is reflected by the formation of compartments, whose interactions form a characteristic checkerboard pattern in chromatin interaction maps. Only recently have the mechanisms that drive this separation come into view. Here, we discuss new insights into these mechanisms and possible functions in genome regulation. Compartmentalization can be understood as a microphase-segregated block co-polymer. Microphase separation can be facilitated by chromatin factors that associate with compartment domains, and that can engage in liquid-liquid phase separation to form subnuclear bodies, as well as by acting as bridging factors between polymer sections. We then discuss how a spatially segregated state of the genome can contribute to gene regulation, and highlight experimental challenges for testing these structure-function relationships.
Keywords
HP1, compartment, euchromatin, heterochromatin, microphase separation
DOI of Published Version
10.1016/j.tibs.2020.01.002
Source
Hildebrand EM, Dekker J. Mechanisms and Functions of Chromosome Compartmentalization. Trends Biochem Sci. 2020 May;45(5):385-396. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2020.01.002. Epub 2020 Feb 18. PMID: 32311333; PMCID: PMC7275117. Link to article on publisher's site
Related Resources
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Trends in biochemical sciences
PubMed ID
32311333
Repository Citation
Hildebrand EM, Dekker J. (2020). Mechanisms and Functions of Chromosome Compartmentalization. University of Massachusetts Medical School Faculty Publications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibs.2020.01.002. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/faculty_pubs/1701