Search

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) can be manipulatedin vitroto recapitulate the process of erythropoiesis, during which multipotent cells undergo lineage specification, differentiation and maturation to produce erythroid cells. Although useful for identifying specific progenitors and precursors, this system has not been fully exploited as a source of cells to analyse erythropoiesis. Here, we establish a protocol in which characterised erythroblasts can be isolated in a scalable manner from differentiated embryoid bodies (EBs). Using transcriptional and epigenetic analysis, we demonstrate that this system faithfully recapitulates normal primitive erythropoiesis and fully reproduces the effects of natural and engineered mutations seen in primary cells obtained from mouse models. We anticipate this system to be of great value in reducing the time and costs of generating and maintaining mouse lines in a number of research scenarios.Key PointsScalable purification of primitive-like erythroid cells fromin vitrodifferentiated mESCs offers tractable tools for genetic studiesIn vitroderived erythroid cells recapitulate wild type and engineered mutation phenotypes observed in primary cells obtained from mouse models

Mammalian genomes are subdivided into large (50-2000 kb) regions of chromatin referred to as Topologically Associating Domains (TADs or sub-TADs). Chromatin within an individual TAD contacts itself more frequently than with regions in surrounding TADs thereby directing enhancer-promoter interactions. In many cases, the borders of TADs are defined by convergently orientated boundary elements associated with CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), which stabilises the cohesin complex on chromatin and prevents its translocation. This delimits chromatin loop extrusion which is thought to underlie the formation of TADs. However, not all CTCF-bound sites act as boundaries and, importantly, not all TADs are flanked by convergent CTCF sites. Here, we examined the CTCF binding sites within a ∼70 kb sub-TAD containing the duplicated mouse α-like globin genes and their five enhancers (5’-R1-R2-R3-Rm-R4-α1-α2-3’). The 5’ border of this sub-TAD is defined by a pair of CTCF sites. Surprisingly, we show that deletion of the CTCF binding sites within and downstream of the α-globin locus leaves the sub-TAD largely intact. The predominant 3’ border of the sub-TAD is defined by a steep reduction in contacts: this corresponds to the transcribed α2-globin gene rather than the CTCF sites at the 3’-end of the sub-TAD. Of interest, the almost identical α1- and α2-globin genes interact differently with the enhancers, resulting in preferential expression of the proximal α1-globin gene which behaves as a partial boundary between the enhancers and the distal α2-globin gene. Together, these observations provide direct evidence that actively transcribed genes can behave as boundary elements.Significance StatementMammalian genomes are complex, organised 3D structures, partitioned into Topologically Associating Domains (TADs): chromatin regions that preferentially self-interact. These chromatin interactions are thought to be driven by a mechanism that continuously extrudes chromatin loops, forming structures delimited by chromatin boundary elements and reflecting the activity of enhancers and promoters. Boundary elements bind architectural proteins such as CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF). Previously, an overlap between the functional roles of enhancers and promoters has been shown. However, whether there is overlap between enhancers/promoters and boundary elements is not known. Here, we show that actively transcribed genes can also behave as boundary elements, similar to CTCF boundaries. In both cases, multi-protein complexes bound to these regions may stall the process of chromatin loop extrusion.

A variety of self-interacting domains, defined at different levels of resolution, have been described in mammalian genomes. These include Chromatin Compartments (A and B)1, Topologically Associated Domains (TADs)2,3, contact domains4,5, sub-TADs6, insulated neighbourhoods7 and frequently interacting regions (FIREs)8. Whereas many studies have found the organisation of self-interacting domains to be conserved across cell types389, some do form in a lineage-specific manner6710. However, it is not clear to what degree such tissue-specific structures result from processes related to gene activity such as enhancer-promoter interactions or whether they form earlier during lineage commitment and are therefore likely to be prerequisite for promoting gene expression. To examine these models of genome organisation in detail, we used a combination of high-resolution chromosome conformation capture, a newly-developed form of quantitative fluorescence in-situ hybridisation and super-resolution imaging to study a 70 kb self-interacting domain containing the mouse α-globin locus. To understand how this self-interacting domain is established, we studied the region when the genes are inactive and during erythroid differentiation when the genes are progressively switched on. In contrast to many current models of long-range gene regulation, we show that an erythroid-specific, decompacted self-interacting domain, delimited by convergent CTCF/cohesin binding sites, forms prior to the onset of robust gene expression. Using previously established mouse models we show that formation of the self-interacting domain does not rely on interactions between the α-globin genes and their enhancers. As there are also no tissue-specific changes in CTCF binding, then formation of the domain may simply depend on the presence of activated lineage-specific cis-elements driving a transcription-independent mechanism for opening chromatin throughout the 70 kb region to create a permissive environment for gene expression. These findings are consistent with a model of loop-extrusion in which all segments of chromatin, within a region delimited by CTCF boundary elements, can contact each other. Our findings suggest that activation of tissue-specific element(s)within such a self-interacting region is sufficient to influence all chromatin within the domain.