Global mapping of RNA-chromatin contacts reveals a proximity-dominated connectivity model for ncRNA-gene interactions.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are transcribed throughout the genome and provide regulatory inputs to gene expression through their interaction with chromatin. Yet, the genomic targets and functions of most ncRNAs are unknown. Here we use chromatin-associated RNA sequencing (ChAR-seq) to map the global network of ncRNA interactions with chromatin in human embryonic stem cells and the dynamic changes in interactions during differentiation into definitive endoderm.

Identification and characterization of centromeric sequences in .

Centromeres play an essential function in cell division by specifying the site of kinetochore formation on each chromosome for mitotic spindle attachment. Centromeres are defined epigenetically by the histone H3 variant Centromere Protein A (Cenpa). Cenpa nucleosomes maintain the centromere by designating the site for new Cenpa assembly after dilution by replication.

Formation of the CenH3-Deficient Holocentromere in Lepidoptera Avoids Active Chromatin.

Despite the essentiality for faithful chromosome segregation, centromere architectures are diverse among eukaryotes and embody two main configurations: mono- and holocentromeres, referring, respectively, to localized or unrestricted distribution of centromeric activity. Of the two, some holocentromeres offer the curious condition of having arisen independently in multiple insects, most of which have lost the otherwise essential centromere-specifying factor CenH3 (first described as CENP-A in humans). The loss of CenH3 raises intuitive questions about how holocentromeres are organized and regulated in CenH3-lacking insects.

Mapping Transcriptome-Wide and Genome-Wide RNA-DNA Contacts with Chromatin-Associated RNA Sequencing (ChAR-seq).

RNAs play key roles in the cell as molecular intermediates for protein synthesis and as regulators of nuclear processes such as splicing, posttranscriptional regulation, or chromatin remodeling. Various classes of non-coding RNAs, including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), can bind chromatin either directly or via interaction with chromatin binding proteins. It has been proposed that lncRNAs regulate cell-state-specific genes by coordinating the locus-dependent activity of chromatin-modifying complexes.