Active and inactive chromatin are spatially separated in the nucleus. In Hi-C data, this is reflected by the formation of compartments, whose interactions form a characteristic checkerboard pattern in chromatin interaction maps. Only recently have the mechanisms that drive this separation come into view. Here, we discuss new insights into these mechanisms and possible functions in genome regulation. Compartmentalization can be understood as a microphase-segregated block co-polymer. Microphase separation can be facilitated by chromatin factors that associate with compartment domains, and that can engage in liquid-liquid phase separation to form subnuclear bodies, as well as by acting as bridging factors between polymer sections. We then discuss how a spatially segregated state of the genome can contribute to gene regulation, and highlight experimental challenges for testing these structure-function relationships.

中文翻译：

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染色体区室化的机制和功能。


活性和非活性染色质在细胞核中在空间上分开。在 Hi-C 数据中，这通过区室的形成反映出来，区室的相互作用在染色质相互作用图中形成了特征性的棋盘图案。直到最近，驱动这种分离的机制才被人们所认识。在这里，我们讨论了对这些机制和基因组调控中可能的功能的新见解。区室化可以理解为微相分离的嵌段共聚物。与区室域相关的染色质因子可以促进微相分离，染色质因子可以参与液-液相分离以形成亚核体，以及充当聚合物部分之间的桥接因子。然后，我们讨论基因组的空间分离状态如何有助于基因调控，并强调测试这些结构-功能关系的实验挑战。