Topic: topologically associating domains

Aging, particularly in the brain, involves impairments in multiple cellular and molecular functions, many of which are regulated at the nucleus. Chromatin structure plays a critical role in the regulation of gene expression and the maintenance of genomic stability. During differentiation, chromosomes acquire their unique topology depending on the cell type that should be kept for a lifetime, but this may deteriorate as we age. However, the effects of aging on the chromatin 3D structure of neurons remain largely unknown. By combining chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) and microscopy techniq

The DNA-binding protein SATB2 is genetically linked to human intelligence. We studied its influence on the three-dimensional (3D) epigenome by mapping chromatin interactions and accessibility in control versus SATB2-deficient cortical neurons. We find that SATB2 affects the chromatin looping between enhancers and promoters of neuronal-activity-regulated genes, thus influencing their expression. It also alters A/B compartments, topologically associating domains, and frequently interacting regions. Genes linked to SATB2-dependent 3D genome changes are implicated in highly specialized neuronal fu