MyoD is a 3D genome structure organizer for muscle cell identity
Ruiting Wang, Fengling Chen, Qian Chen, Xin Wan, Minglei Shi, Antony K. Chen, Zhao Ma, Guohong Li, Min Wang, Yachen Ying, Qinyao Liu, Hu Li, Xu Zhang, Jinbiao Ma, Jiayun Zhong, Meihong Chen, Michael Q. Zhang, Yong Zhang, Yang Chen, Dahai Zhu
Abstract
The genome exists as an organized, three-dimensional (3D) dynamic architecture, and each cell type has a unique 3D genome organization that determines its cell identity. An unresolved question is how cell type-specific 3D genome structures are established during development. Here, we analyzed 3D genome structures in muscle cells from mice lacking the muscle lineage transcription factor (TF), MyoD, versus wild-type mice. We show that MyoD functions as a "genome organizer" that specifies 3D genome architecture unique to muscle cell development, and that H3K27ac is insufficient for the establishment of MyoD-induced chromatin loops in muscle cells. Moreover, we present evidence that other cell lineage-specific TFs might also exert functional roles in orchestrating lineage-specific 3D genome organization during development.