3D chromatin structures precede genome activation in Drosophila embryogenesis.

ABSTRACT: 3D chromatin structure is critical for the regulation of gene expression during development. Here we used Micro-C assays at 100-bp resolution to map genome organization in Drosophila melanogaster throughout the first half of embryogenesis. These high-resolution contact maps reveal fine-scale features such as loops and boundaries delineating topologically associating domains. Notably, we observe that 3D chromatin structures form prior to zygotic genome activation and persist during successive mitotic cycles. Integrative analysis with 149 public chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) datasets identifies four classes of chromatin structuring elements, including a distinct group enriched for GAGA-associated factor (GAF) and Zelda binding, associated with developmental-gene regulat

SUBMITTER: Dolsten GA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12648115 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature