1
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Sandoval-Velasco M, Dudchenko O, Rodríguez JA, Pérez Estrada C, Dehasque M, Fontsere C, Mak SST, Khan R, Contessoto VG, Oliveira Junior AB, Kalluchi A, Zubillaga Herrera BJ, Jeong J, Roy RP, Christopher I, Weisz D, Omer AD, Batra SS, Shamim MS, Durand NC, O'Connell B, Roca AL, Plikus MV, Kusliy MA, Romanenko SA, Lemskaya NA, Serdyukova NA, Modina SA, Perelman PL, Kizilova EA, Baiborodin SI, Rubtsov NB, Machol G, Rath K, Mahajan R, Kaur P, Gnirke A, Garcia-Treviño I, Coke R, Flanagan JP, Pletch K, Ruiz-Herrera A, Plotnikov V, Pavlov IS, Pavlova NI, Protopopov AV, Di Pierro M, Graphodatsky AS, Lander ES, Rowley MJ, Wolynes PG, Onuchic JN, Dalén L, Marti-Renom MA, Gilbert MTP, Aiden EL. Three-dimensional genome architecture persists in a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth skin sample. Cell 2024; 187:3541-3562.e51. [PMID: 38996487 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Analyses of ancient DNA typically involve sequencing the surviving short oligonucleotides and aligning to genome assemblies from related, modern species. Here, we report that skin from a female woolly mammoth (†Mammuthus primigenius) that died 52,000 years ago retained its ancient genome architecture. We use PaleoHi-C to map chromatin contacts and assemble its genome, yielding 28 chromosome-length scaffolds. Chromosome territories, compartments, loops, Barr bodies, and inactive X chromosome (Xi) superdomains persist. The active and inactive genome compartments in mammoth skin more closely resemble Asian elephant skin than other elephant tissues. Our analyses uncover new biology. Differences in compartmentalization reveal genes whose transcription was potentially altered in mammoths vs. elephants. Mammoth Xi has a tetradic architecture, not bipartite like human and mouse. We hypothesize that, shortly after this mammoth's death, the sample spontaneously freeze-dried in the Siberian cold, leading to a glass transition that preserved subfossils of ancient chromosomes at nanometer scale.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Juan Antonio Rodríguez
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, University of Copenhagen, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre Nacional d'Anàlisi Genòmica, CNAG, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cynthia Pérez Estrada
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Marianne Dehasque
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 10405 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claudia Fontsere
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, University of Copenhagen, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sarah S T Mak
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, University of Copenhagen, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ruqayya Khan
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | | - Achyuth Kalluchi
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Bernardo J Zubillaga Herrera
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jiyun Jeong
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Renata P Roy
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Departments of Biology and Physics, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA
| | - Ishawnia Christopher
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - David Weisz
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Arina D Omer
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sanjit S Batra
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Muhammad S Shamim
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Neva C Durand
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Brendan O'Connell
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Alfred L Roca
- Department of Animal Sciences and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Maksim V Plikus
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Mariya A Kusliy
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | | | - Natalya A Lemskaya
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | | | - Svetlana A Modina
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Polina L Perelman
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Elena A Kizilova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | | | - Nikolai B Rubtsov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Gur Machol
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Krisha Rath
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ragini Mahajan
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Parwinder Kaur
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Andreas Gnirke
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | - Rob Coke
- San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | | | | | - Aurora Ruiz-Herrera
- Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia and Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | | | | | - Naryya I Pavlova
- Institute of Biological Problems of Cryolitezone SB RAS, Yakutsk 677000, Russia
| | - Albert V Protopopov
- Academy of Sciences of Sakha Republic, Yakutsk 677000, Russia; North-Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk 677027, Russia
| | - Michele Di Pierro
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Eric S Lander
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - M Jordan Rowley
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Peter G Wolynes
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Departments of Physics, Astronomy, & Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - José N Onuchic
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Departments of Physics, Astronomy, & Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Love Dalén
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 10405 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marc A Marti-Renom
- Centre Nacional d'Anàlisi Genòmica, CNAG, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08002 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - M Thomas P Gilbert
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, University of Copenhagen, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark; University Museum NTNU, 7012 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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2
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Banerjee DS, Chigumira T, Lackner RM, Kratz JC, Chenoweth DM, Banerjee S, Zhang H. Interplay of condensate material properties and chromatin heterogeneity governs nuclear condensate ripening. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.07.593010. [PMID: 38766065 PMCID: PMC11100695 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.07.593010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates play pivotal roles in many cellular processes, yet predicting condensate growth dynamics within the complex intracellular environment is challenging. While chromatin mechanics are known to influence condensate coarsening in the nucleus, the effect of condensate properties remains unclear. Our study demonstrates that the interplay between condensate properties and chromatin mechanics dictates condensate growth dynamics. Through chemical dimerization, we induced condensates of various properties in the cell nuclei, revealing distinct growth mechanisms: diffusion-driven or ripening-dominated. To explain experimental observations, we developed a quantitative theory that uncovers the role of chromatin in modulating condensate growth via size-dependent pressure. We find that surface tension is a critical factor in determining whether condensates undergo elastic or Ostwald ripening. Our model predicts that different condensates are affected differently by chromatin heterogeneity, validated by experimentally perturbing chromatin organization. Taken together, our work elucidates how condensate surface tension and chromatin heterogeneity govern nuclear condensate ripening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deb Sankar Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Present address: James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Tafadzwa Chigumira
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Rachel M Lackner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Josiah C Kratz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Present address: Computational Biology Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - David M Chenoweth
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Shiladitya Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Huaiying Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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3
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Weinmann R, Frank L, Rippe K. Approaches to characterize chromatin subcompartment organization in the cell nucleus. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 83:102695. [PMID: 37722292 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism of self-organization of chromatin subcompartments on the 0.1-1 μm scale and their impact on genome-associated activities has long been a key aspect of research on nuclear organization. Understanding the underlying structure-function relationship, however, remains challenging due to the complex hierarchical structure of chromatin and the polymorphic organization of subcompartments that assemble around it. Towards this goal, approaches to measure local properties and compositional dynamics of chromatin in its endogenous cellular environment are instrumental. Here, we discuss recent advancements in studying these features and their functional implications in protein and RNA enrichment and genome accessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Weinmann
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Chromatin Networks, Germany; Center for Quantitative Analysis of Molecular and Cellular Biosystems (BioQuant), Heidelberg University, Germany; Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Lukas Frank
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Chromatin Networks, Germany; Center for Quantitative Analysis of Molecular and Cellular Biosystems (BioQuant), Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Karsten Rippe
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Chromatin Networks, Germany; Center for Quantitative Analysis of Molecular and Cellular Biosystems (BioQuant), Heidelberg University, Germany.
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4
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Hara Y. Physical forces modulate interphase nuclear size. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2023; 85:102253. [PMID: 37801797 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
The eukaryotic nucleus exhibits remarkable plasticity in size, adjusting dynamically to changes in cellular conditions such as during development and differentiation, and across species. Traditionally, the supply of structural constituents to the nuclear envelope has been proposed as the principal determinant of nuclear size. However, recent experimental and theoretical analyses have provided an alternative perspective, which emphasizes the crucial role of physical forces such as osmotic pressure and chromatin repulsion forces in regulating nuclear size. These forces can be modulated by the molecular profiles that traverse the nuclear envelope and assemble in the macromolecular complex. This leads to a new paradigm wherein multiple nuclear macromolecules that are not limited to only the structural constituents of the nuclear envelope, are involved in the control of nuclear size and related functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Hara
- Evolutionary Cell Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi City, 753-8512, Japan.
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5
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Hertzog M, Erdel F. The Material Properties of the Cell Nucleus: A Matter of Scale. Cells 2023; 12:1958. [PMID: 37566037 PMCID: PMC10416959 DOI: 10.3390/cells12151958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin regulatory processes physically take place in the environment of the cell nucleus, which is filled with the chromosomes and a plethora of smaller biomolecules. The nucleus contains macromolecular assemblies of different sizes, from nanometer-sized protein complexes to micrometer-sized biomolecular condensates, chromosome territories, and nuclear bodies. This multiscale organization impacts the transport processes within the nuclear interior, the global mechanical properties of the nucleus, and the way the nucleus senses and reacts to mechanical stimuli. Here, we discuss recent work on these aspects, including microrheology and micromanipulation experiments assessing the material properties of the nucleus and its subcomponents. We summarize how the properties of multiscale media depend on the time and length scales probed in the experiment, and we reconcile seemingly contradictory observations made on different scales. We also revisit the concept of liquid-like and solid-like material properties for complex media such as the nucleus. We propose that the nucleus can be considered a multiscale viscoelastic medium composed of three major components with distinct properties: the lamina, the chromatin network, and the nucleoplasmic fluid. This multicomponent organization enables the nucleus to serve its different functions as a reaction medium on the nanoscale and as a mechanosensor and structural scaffold on the microscale.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabian Erdel
- MCD, Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, 169 Avenue Marianne Grunberg-Manago, 31062 Toulouse, France
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6
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Liu S, Li Y, Hong Y, Wang M, Zhang H, Ma J, Qu K, Huang G, Lu TJ. Mechanotherapy in oncology: Targeting nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 194:114722. [PMID: 36738968 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Mechanotherapy is proposed as a new option for cancer treatment. Increasing evidence suggests that characteristic differences are present in the nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction of cancer cells compared with those of normal cells. Recent advances in understanding nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction provide not only further insights into the process of malignant transformation but also useful references for developing new therapeutic approaches. Herein, we present an overview of the alterations of nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction in cancer cells and highlight their implications in cancer mechanotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaobao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Yuan Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Yuan Hong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Ming Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Jinlu Ma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xian Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Kai Qu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xian Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Guoyou Huang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
| | - Tian Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China.
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7
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Chung YC, Bisht M, Thuma J, Tu LC. Single-chromosome dynamics reveals locus-dependent dynamics and chromosome territory orientation. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:289470. [PMID: 36718642 PMCID: PMC10022681 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dynamic chromatin organization instantly influences DNA accessibility through modulating local macromolecular density and interactions, driving changes in transcription activities. Chromatin dynamics have been reported to be locally confined but contribute to coherent chromatin motion across the entire nucleus. However, the regulation of dynamics, nuclear orientation and compaction of subregions along a single chromosome are not well-understood. We used CRISPR-based real-time single-particle tracking and polymer models to characterize the dynamics of specific genomic loci and determine compaction levels of large human chromosomal domains. Our studies showed that chromosome compaction changed during interphase and that compactions of two arms on chromosome 19 were different. The dynamics of genomic loci were subdiffusive and dependent on chromosome regions and transcription states. Surprisingly, the correlation between locus-dependent nuclear localization and mobility was negligible. Strong tethering interactions detected at the pericentromeric region implies local condensation or associations with organelles within local nuclear microenvironments, such as chromatin-nuclear body association. Based on our findings, we propose a 'guided radial model' for the nuclear orientation of the long arm of chromosome 19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chieh Chung
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Madhoolika Bisht
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jenna Thuma
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Li-Chun Tu
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Author for correspondence ()
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8
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Bohrer CH, Larson DR. Synthetic analysis of chromatin tracing and live-cell imaging indicates pervasive spatial coupling between genes. eLife 2023; 12:81861. [PMID: 36790144 PMCID: PMC9984193 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of the spatial organization of chromosomes in directing transcription remains an outstanding question in gene regulation. Here, we analyze two recent single-cell imaging methodologies applied across hundreds of genes to systematically analyze the contribution of chromosome conformation to transcriptional regulation. Those methodologies are (1) single-cell chromatin tracing with super-resolution imaging in fixed cells; and (2) high-throughput labeling and imaging of nascent RNA in living cells. Specifically, we determine the contribution of physical distance to the coordination of transcriptional bursts. We find that individual genes adopt a constrained conformation and reposition toward the centroid of the surrounding chromatin upon activation. Leveraging the variability in distance inherent in single-cell imaging, we show that physical distance - but not genomic distance - between genes on individual chromosomes is the major factor driving co-bursting. By combining this analysis with live-cell imaging, we arrive at a corrected transcriptional correlation of [Formula: see text] for genes separated by < 400 nm. We propose that this surprisingly large correlation represents a physical property of human chromosomes and establishes a benchmark for future experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher H Bohrer
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Daniel R Larson
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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9
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Schirmer EC, Latonen L, Tollis S. Nuclear size rectification: A potential new therapeutic approach to reduce metastasis in cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1022723. [PMID: 36299481 PMCID: PMC9589484 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1022723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Research on metastasis has recently regained considerable interest with the hope that single cell technologies might reveal the most critical changes that support tumor spread. However, it is possible that part of the answer has been visible through the microscope for close to 200 years. Changes in nuclear size characteristically occur in many cancer types when the cells metastasize. This was initially discarded as contributing to the metastatic spread because, depending on tumor types, both increases and decreases in nuclear size could correlate with increased metastasis. However, recent work on nuclear mechanics and the connectivity between chromatin, the nucleoskeleton, and the cytoskeleton indicate that changes in this connectivity can have profound impacts on cell mobility and invasiveness. Critically, a recent study found that reversing tumor type-dependent nuclear size changes correlated with reduced cell migration and invasion. Accordingly, it seems appropriate to now revisit possible contributory roles of nuclear size changes to metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C. Schirmer
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Leena Latonen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Foundation for the Finnish Cancer Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sylvain Tollis
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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10
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Benelli R, Weiss M. Probing local chromatin dynamics by tracking telomeres. Biophys J 2022; 121:2684-2692. [PMID: 35733342 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin dynamics is key for cell viability and replication. In interphase, chromatin is decondensed, allowing the transcription machinery to access a plethora of DNA loci. Yet, decondensed chromatin occupies almost the entire nucleus, suggesting that DNA molecules can hardly move. Recent reports have even indicated that interphase chromatin behaves like a solid body on mesoscopic scales. To explore the local chromatin dynamics, we have performed single-particle tracking on telomeres under varying conditions. We find that mobile telomeres feature in all conditions a strongly subdiffusive, anti-persistent motion that is consistent with the monomer motion of a Rouse polymer in viscoelastic media. In addition, telomere trajectories show intermittent accumulations in local niches at physiological conditions, suggesting the surrounding chromatin to reorganize on these time scales. Reducing the temperature or exposing cells to osmotic stress resulted in a significant reduction of mobile telomeres and the number of visited niches. Altogether, our data indicate a vivid local chromatin dynamics, akin to a semi-dilute polymer solution, unless perturbations enforce a more rigid or entangled state of chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Benelli
- Experimental Physics I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Matthias Weiss
- Experimental Physics I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany.
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11
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Mierke CT. Viscoelasticity, Like Forces, Plays a Role in Mechanotransduction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:789841. [PMID: 35223831 PMCID: PMC8864183 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.789841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Viscoelasticity and its alteration in time and space has turned out to act as a key element in fundamental biological processes in living systems, such as morphogenesis and motility. Based on experimental and theoretical findings it can be proposed that viscoelasticity of cells, spheroids and tissues seems to be a collective characteristic that demands macromolecular, intracellular component and intercellular interactions. A major challenge is to couple the alterations in the macroscopic structural or material characteristics of cells, spheroids and tissues, such as cell and tissue phase transitions, to the microscopic interferences of their elements. Therefore, the biophysical technologies need to be improved, advanced and connected to classical biological assays. In this review, the viscoelastic nature of cytoskeletal, extracellular and cellular networks is presented and discussed. Viscoelasticity is conceptualized as a major contributor to cell migration and invasion and it is discussed whether it can serve as a biomarker for the cells' migratory capacity in several biological contexts. It can be hypothesized that the statistical mechanics of intra- and extracellular networks may be applied in the future as a powerful tool to explore quantitatively the biomechanical foundation of viscoelasticity over a broad range of time and length scales. Finally, the importance of the cellular viscoelasticity is illustrated in identifying and characterizing multiple disorders, such as cancer, tissue injuries, acute or chronic inflammations or fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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12
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Hansen JC, Maeshima K, Hendzel MJ. The solid and liquid states of chromatin. Epigenetics Chromatin 2021; 14:50. [PMID: 34717733 PMCID: PMC8557566 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-021-00424-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The review begins with a concise description of the principles of phase separation. This is followed by a comprehensive section on phase separation of chromatin, in which we recount the 60 years history of chromatin aggregation studies, discuss the evidence that chromatin aggregation intrinsically is a physiologically relevant liquid-solid phase separation (LSPS) process driven by chromatin self-interaction, and highlight the recent findings that under specific solution conditions chromatin can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) rather than LSPS. In the next section of the review, we discuss how certain chromatin-associated proteins undergo LLPS in vitro and in vivo. Some chromatin-binding proteins undergo LLPS in purified form in near-physiological ionic strength buffers while others will do so only in the presence of DNA, nucleosomes, or chromatin. The final section of the review evaluates the solid and liquid states of chromatin in the nucleus. While chromatin behaves as an immobile solid on the mesoscale, nucleosomes are mobile on the nanoscale. We discuss how this dual nature of chromatin, which fits well the concept of viscoelasticity, contributes to genome structure, emphasizing the dominant role of chromatin self-interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey C Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
| | - Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, and Department of Genetics, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan.
| | - Michael J Hendzel
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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13
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Vivante A, Shoval I, Garini Y. The Dynamics of Lamin a During the Cell Cycle. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:705595. [PMID: 34513921 PMCID: PMC8427529 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.705595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Lamin proteins play an essential role in maintaining the nuclear organization and integrity; and lamin A, in particular, plays a major role in the whole volume of the nuclear interior. Although the nucleus is highly organized, it is rather dynamic, it affects crucial nuclear processes and its organization must change as cells progress through the cell cycle. Although many aspects of these changes are already known, the role of lamin A during nuclear assembly and disassembly as well as its underlying mechanisms remains controversial. Here we used live cells imaging and Continuous Photobleaching (CP) method to shed light on the dynamics and mechanisms of lamin A during the cell cycle, combined with imaging flow cytometry measurements, which provides the high-throughput capabilities of flow cytometry with single-cell imaging. As a major analysis tool, we used spatial correlation algorithm for allocating the distribution of lamin A, chromatin and tubulin, as well as their mutual colocalization. Furthermore, we analyzed the distribution of lamin A along the nuclear lamina and in the nucleus interior during the cell cycle. Our results indicate that at the beginning of the cell division that include prophase, metaphase and anaphase, lamin A is distributed throughout the cytoplasm and its concentration in the chromosomal regions is reduced, whereas the spatial correlation between lamin A and tubulin is increased. It implies that lamin A also disassembled in the whole cellular volume. At the telophase and early G1, lamin A is concentrated in the whole volume of the newly formed nuclei of the daughter cells and it assembles to the lamina. We also explored the functional aspects of lamin A during the cell cycle and its binding to the chromatin versus the freely diffusion form. We found that the fraction of the bound proteins of lamin A in the S phase increased, relative to the G1 phase, which means that during replication, the concentration of lamin A on the chromatin increases. All these results shed light on the function of lamin A throughout the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anat Vivante
- Physics Department, The Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Irit Shoval
- Scientific Equipment Center, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Yuval Garini
- Physics Department, The Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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14
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Reynolds N, McEvoy E, Ghosh S, Panadero Pérez JA, Neu CP, McGarry P. Image-derived modeling of nucleus strain amplification associated with chromatin heterogeneity. Biophys J 2021; 120:1323-1332. [PMID: 33675762 PMCID: PMC8105730 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.01.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Beyond the critical role of cell nuclei in gene expression and DNA replication, they also have a significant influence on cell mechanosensation and migration. Nuclear stiffness can impact force transmission and, furthermore, act as a physical barrier to translocation across tight spaces. As such, it is of wide interest to accurately characterize nucleus mechanical behavior. In this study, we present a computational investigation of the in situ deformation of a heterogeneous chondrocyte nucleus. A methodology is developed to accurately reconstruct a three-dimensional finite-element model of a cell nucleus from confocal microscopy. By incorporating the reconstructed nucleus into a chondrocyte model embedded in pericellular and extracellular matrix, we explore the relationship between spatially heterogeneous nuclear DNA content, shear stiffness, and resultant shear strain. We simulate an externally applied extracellular matrix shear deformation and compute intranuclear strain distributions, which are directly compared with corresponding experimentally measured distributions. Simulations suggest that the mechanical behavior of the nucleus is highly heterogeneous, with a nonlinear relationship between experimentally measured grayscale values and corresponding local shear moduli (μn). Three distinct phases are identified within the nucleus: a low-stiffness mRNA-rich interchromatin phase (0.17 kPa ≤ μn ≤ 0.63 kPa), an intermediate-stiffness euchromatin phase (1.48 kPa ≤ μn ≤ 2.7 kPa), and a high-stiffness heterochromatin phase (3.58 kPa ≤ μn ≤ 4.0 kPa). Our simulations also indicate that disruption of the nuclear envelope associated with lamin A/C depletion significantly increases nuclear strain in regions of low DNA concentration. We further investigate a phenotypic shift of chondrocytes to fibroblast-like cells, a signature for osteoarthritic cartilage, by increasing the contractility of the actin cytoskeleton to a level associated with fibroblasts. Peak nucleus strains increase by 35% compared to control, with the nucleus becoming more ellipsoidal. Our findings may have broad implications for current understanding of how local DNA concentrations and associated strain amplification can impact cell mechanotransduction and drive cell behavior in development, migration, and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noel Reynolds
- Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Eoin McEvoy
- Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Soham Ghosh
- Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | | | - Corey P Neu
- Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Patrick McGarry
- Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
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15
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Matityahu A, Onn I. Hit the brakes - a new perspective on the loop extrusion mechanism of cohesin and other SMC complexes. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:jcs247577. [PMID: 33419949 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.247577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The three-dimensional structure of chromatin is determined by the action of protein complexes of the structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) family. Eukaryotic cells contain three SMC complexes, cohesin, condensin, and a complex of Smc5 and Smc6. Initially, cohesin was linked to sister chromatid cohesion, the process that ensures the fidelity of chromosome segregation in mitosis. In recent years, a second function in the organization of interphase chromatin into topologically associated domains has been determined, and loop extrusion has emerged as the leading mechanism of this process. Interestingly, fundamental mechanistic differences exist between mitotic tethering and loop extrusion. As distinct molecular switches that aim to suppress loop extrusion in different biological contexts have been identified, we hypothesize here that loop extrusion is the default biochemical activity of cohesin and that its suppression shifts cohesin into a tethering mode. With this model, we aim to provide an explanation for how loop extrusion and tethering can coexist in a single cohesin complex and also apply it to the other eukaryotic SMC complexes, describing both similarities and differences between them. Finally, we present model-derived molecular predictions that can be tested experimentally, thus offering a new perspective on the mechanisms by which SMC complexes shape the higher-order structure of chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avi Matityahu
- 8 Henrietta Szold St., The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, P.O. Box 1589 Safed, Israel
| | - Itay Onn
- 8 Henrietta Szold St., The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, P.O. Box 1589 Safed, Israel
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16
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Zidovska A. The rich inner life of the cell nucleus: dynamic organization, active flows, and emergent rheology. Biophys Rev 2020; 12:1093-1106. [PMID: 33064286 PMCID: PMC7575674 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-020-00761-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell nucleus stores the genetic material essential for life, and provides the environment for transcription, maintenance, and replication of the genome. Moreover, the nucleoplasm is filled with subnuclear bodies such as nucleoli that are responsible for other vital functions. Overall, the nucleus presents a highly heterogeneous and dynamic environment with diverse functionality. Here, we propose that its biophysical complexity can be organized around three inter-related and interactive facets: heterogeneity, activity, and rheology. Most nuclear constituents are sites of active, ATP-dependent processes and are thus inherently dynamic: The genome undergoes constant rearrangement, the nuclear envelope flickers and fluctuates, nucleoli migrate and coalesce, and many of these events are mediated by nucleoplasmic flows and interactions. And yet there is spatiotemporal organization in terms of hierarchical structure of the genome, its coherently moving regions and membrane-less compartmentalization via phase-separated nucleoplasmic constituents. Moreover, the non-equilibrium or activity-driven nature of the nucleus gives rise to emergent rheology and material properties that impact all cellular processes via the central dogma of molecular biology. New biophysical insights into the cell nucleus can come from appreciating this rich inner life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Zidovska
- Center for Soft Matter Research, Department of Physics, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
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