Developmentally regulated higher-order chromatin interactions orchestrate B cell fate commitment [microarray]. Mus musculus

Organization of the genome in 3D nuclear-space is known to play a crucial role in regulation of gene expression. However, the chromatin architecture that impinges on the B cell-fate choice of multi-potent progenitors remains unclear. By employing in situ Hi-C, we have identified distinct sets of genomic loci that undergo a developmental switch between permissive and repressive compartments during B-cell fate commitment. Intriguingly, we show that topologically associating domains (TADs) represent co-regulated subunits of chromatin and display considerable structural alterations as a result of changes in the cis-regulatory interaction landscape. The extensive rewiring of cis-regulatory interactions is closely associated with differential gene expression programs. Further, we demonstrate the regulatory role of Ebf1 and its downstream factor, Pax5, in chromatin reorganization and transcription regulation. Together, our studies reveal that alterations in promoter and cis-regulatory interactions underlie changes in higher-order chromatin architecture, which in turn determines cell-identity and cell-type specific gene expression patterns. Overall design: In situ Hi-C was employed to capture the changes in chromatin organization that underlie the lineage specific gene expression pattern during developmental transition from pre-pro-B to pro-B cell stage.