Project description:Nucleus is a highly structured organelle and contains many functional compartments. While the structural basis for this complex spatial organization of compartments is unknown, a major component of this organization is likely to be the non-chromatin scaffolding called nuclear matrix (NuMat). Experimental evidence over the past decades indicates that most of the nuclear functions are at least transiently associated with the NuMat although the components of NuMat itself are poorly known. Here, we report NuMat proteome analysis from Drosophila melanogaster embryos and discuss its links with nuclear architecture and functions. In the NuMat proteome, we find structural proteins, chaperones related, DNA/RNA binding, chromatin remodeling and transcription factors. This complexity of NuMat proteome is an indicator of its structural and functional significance. Comparison of the 2D profile of NuMat proteome from different developmental stages of Drosophila embryos shows that less than half of the NuMat proteome is constant and rest of the proteins are stage specific dynamic components. This NuMat dynamics suggests a possible functional link between NuMat and the embryonic development. Finally, we also show that a subset of NuMat proteins remain associated with the mitotic chromosomes implicating their role in mitosis and possibly the epigenetic cellular memory. NuMat proteome analysis provides tools and opens up ways to understand nuclear organization and function.
Project description:Eukaryotic genomes are folded into a hierarchy of three-dimensional structures that impact nuclear functions, including transcription, replication, and repair1-3. Studies in Drosophila and mammals have revealed megabase-sized topologically associated domains (TADs) within chromosomes, which in turn are spatially restricted within the nucleus4-8. However, little is known about local physical constraints that drive higher-order folding of chromosomes. Here we performed Hi-C analysis of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to explore genome organization at high resolution. S. pombe comprises a small genome ideal for examining structural features of chromatin folding, and contains fundamental components present in higher eukaryotes. Large domains of heterochromatin coat centromeres and telomeres and recruit cohesin, a ring-like protein complex that binds sister chromatids and mediates long range looping of interphase chromosomes. Our analyses reveal a highly ordered chromosome organization, consistent with a Rabl configuration, which is dependent on constraints imposed at centromeres and telomeres. We find that local chromatin compaction and cohesin recruitment to centromeres mediated by heterochromatin is required for maintaining global genome territorial restraint. In addition to larger complex domains, we also observed locally interacting regions of chromatin ~50 kilobases long, which organize chromosome arms into structures referred to as “globules”. Globule boundaries are enriched in cohesin and convergent gene orientation. The role of cohesin in maintaining globule domains is independent of its role in sister chromatid cohesion, as globule domains are also a feature of G1 chromosome architecture. Defect in cohesin disrupts globule domains and results in an altered chromosome organization at larger scales, including the loss of chromosome territories. Disruption of globules also affects functional annotation of the genome, leading to impairment of borders between neighboring transcriptional units. Our analyses reveal key features of chromatin organization and folding and show that distinct mechanisms uniquely impact the hierarchy of genome organization to protect genome integrity and to coordinate nuclear functions. Comparison of HiC contact maps under various conditions reveal fundamental principles of genome organization
Project description:Understanding the genotype-phenotype map and how variation at different levels of biological organization is associated are central topics in modern biology. Fast developments in sequencing technologies and other molecular omic tools enable researchers to obtain detailed information on variation at DNA level and on intermediate endophenotypes, such as RNA, proteins and metabolites. This can facilitate our understanding of the link between genotypes and molecular and functional organismal phenotypes. Here, we use the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics to investigate the ability of the metabolome to predict organismal phenotypes. We performed NMR metabolomics on four replicate pools of male flies from each of 170 different isogenic lines. Our results show that metabolite profiles are variable among the investigated lines and that this variation is highly heritable. Second, we identify genes associated with metabolome variation. Third, using the metabolome gave better prediction accuracies than genomic information for four of five quantitative traits analyzed. Our comprehensive characterization of population-scale diversity of metabolomes and its genetic basis illustrates that metabolites have large potential as predictors of organismal phenotypes. This finding is of great importance, e.g., in human medicine, evolutionary biology and animal and plant breeding.
Project description:In recent years there has been considerable and growing interest in the 3-dimensional organization of genomes. In yeast this has included detailed FISH studies that show a surprising degree of spatial clustering of the tRNA genes, the localization of telomeres, centromere positioning, and global studies of chromosomal interactions.M-BM- In this study we performed an integrated biophysical M-bM-^@M-^S molecular study to produce the first high-resolution 3-dimensional reconstruction of a eukaryotic genome from first principles. Our conformations were produced using a using a molecular dynamics simulator to model the 16 yeast chromosomes as individual polymers. Critically, the compaction, folding and spatial organization of these chromosomes was informed by empirical data determined using proximity-based ligation. Our models allow us to investigate the structural organization and functional spatial clustering of the yeast nucleus at a resolution that has not previously been possible. We clearly show that yeast chromosomes have preferred yet non-exclusive positions. Surprisingly, while there are general trends relating chromosome position along the spindle pole body M-bM-^@M-^S nucleolus axis and chromosome size, some chromosomes have territories that contain two linked domains. Similarly, there is clear evidence for functional clustering of tRNAs and Gal4 protein binding sites. Intriguingly, these functional clusters are dynamic and the identity of the component elements alters in different model solutions. Genome Conformation Capture has been performed on exponentially growing Saccharomyces cerevisiae in media containing Glucose