Single-cell Hi-C reveals cell-to-cell variability in chromosome structure.

Large-scale chromosome structure and spatial nuclear arrangement have been linked to control of gene expression and DNA replication and repair. Genomic techniques based on chromosome conformation capture (3C) assess contacts for millions of loci simultaneously, but do so by averaging chromosome conformations from millions of nuclei. Here we introduce single-cell Hi-C, combined with genome-wide statistical analysis and structural modelling of single-copy X chromosomes, to show that individual chromosomes maintain domain organization at the megabase scale, but show variable cell-to-cell chromosome structures at larger scales. Despite this structural stochasticity, localization of active gene domains to boundaries of chromosome territories is a hallmark of chromosomal conformation. Single-cell Hi-C data bridge current gaps between genomics and microscopy studies of chromosomes, demonstrating how modular organization underlies dynamic chromosome structure, and how this structure is probabilistically linked with genome activity patterns

Multiplexed chromosome conformation capture sequencing for rapid genome-scale high-resolution detection of long-range chromatin interactions

Chromosome conformation capture (3C) technology is a powerful and increasingly popular tool for analyzing the spatial organization of genomes. Several 3C variants have been developed (e. g., 4C, 5C, ChIA-PET, Hi-C), allowing large-scale mapping of long-range genomic interactions. Here we describe multiplexed 3C sequencing (3C-seq), a 4C variant coupled to next-generation sequencing, allowing genome-scale detection of long-range interactions with candidate regions. Compared with several other available techniques, 3C-seq offers a superior resolution (typically single restriction fragment resolution; approximately 1-8 kb on average) and can be applied in a semi-high-throughput fashion. It allows the assessment of long-range interactions of up to 192 genes or regions of interest in parallel by multiplexing library sequencing. This renders multiplexed 3C-seq an inexpensive, quick (total hands-on time of 2 weeks) and efficient method that is ideal for the in-depth analysis of complex genetic loci. The preparation of multiplexed 3C-seq libraries can be performed by any investigator with basic skills in molecular biology techniques. Data analysis requires basic expertise in bioinformatics and in Linux and Python environments. The protocol describes all materials, critical steps and bioinformatics tools required for successful application of 3C-seq technology

Enhancer hubs and loop collisions identified from single-allele topologies

Chromatin folding contributes to the regulation of genomic processes such as gene activity. Existing conformation capture methods characterize genome topology through analysis of pairwise chromatin contacts in populations of cells but cannot discern whether individual interactions occur simultaneously or competitively. Here we present multi-contact 4C (MC-4C), which applies Nanopore sequencing to study multi-way DNA conformations of individual alleles. MC-4C distinguishes cooperative from random and competing interactions and identifies previously missed structures in subpopulations of cells. We show that individual elements of the β-globin superenhancer can aggregate into an enhancer hub that can simultaneously accommodate two genes. Neighboring chromatin domain loops can form rosette-like structures through collision of their CTCF-bound anchors, as seen most prominently in cells lacking the cohesin-unloading factor WAPL. Here, massive collision of CTCF-anchored chromatin loops is believed to reflect ‘cohesin traffic jams’. Single-allele topology studies thus help us understand the mechanisms underlying genome folding and functioning