PLX041336

GSE140570: Tandem CTCF sites function as insulators to balance spatial chromatin contacts and topological enhancer-promoter selection [VI]

• Organsim human
• Type RNASEQ
• Target gene
• Project ARCHS4

By CRISPR DNA-fragment editing, in conjunction with chromosome conformation capture, we find that CBSs, if located between enhancers and promoters in the clustered Pcdh and b-globin clusters, function as an enhancer-blocking insulator by forming distinct directional chromatin loops, regardless whether enhancers contain CBS or not. Moreover, computational simulation in silico and genetic deletions in vivo revealed balanced promoter usage in cell populations and stochastic monoallelic expression in single cells by large arrays of tandem variable CBSs. Finally, gene expression levels are negatively correlated with CBS insulators located between enhancers and promoters on a genome-wide scale. Thus, single CBS insulators ensure proper enhancer insulation and promoter activation while tandem-arrayed CBS insulators determine balanced promoter choice. This finding has interesting implications on the role of topological insulators in 3D genome folding and developmental gene regulation. SOURCE: Xiao Ge (strawberrycandy@sjtu.edu.cn) - Shanghai JiaoTong University