Spatial genomics tool maps long-range DNA interactions while preserving cells' locations within tissues
DNA is not randomly distributed within the nucleus but is packaged with proteins into chromatin, which is precisely folded into complex three-dimensional structures. However, scientists have not fully understood how this complex three-dimensional (3D) organization is regulated or how it changes over time.
Scientists at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new spatial genomics tool called SpaceA that can map long-range DNA interactions while preserving the cells' locations within tissues. This technology combines microfluidic spatial barcoding and a ligation-free contact detection strategy to investigate higher-order chromatin architecture within tissue sections.
The researchers applied SpaceA to nine mouse embryo sections at different developmental stages, generating approximately 4 TB of data to characterize chromatin conformation changes during embryonic development. Their findings revealed significant changes in chromatin organization, including a dramatic transition in A/B compartments and alterations in mid-range and long-range interactions.
These results provide new insights into how genome architecture regulates gene expression in native cellular environments and challenge the classical model of gene expression regulation.
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