Interphase chromosomes of the Aedes aegypti mosquito are liquid crystalline and can sense mechanical cues

Vinícius G Contessoto; Olga Dudchenko; Erez Lieberman Aiden; Peter G Wolynes; José N Onuchic; Michele Di Pierro

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-35909-2

Interphase chromosomes of the Aedes aegypti mosquito are liquid crystalline and can sense mechanical cues

Nat Commun. 2023 Jan 19;14(1):326. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-35909-2.

Authors

Vinícius G Contessoto^{1

2}, Olga Dudchenko^{3

4}, Erez Lieberman Aiden^{3

4}, Peter G Wolynes^{3

5

6

7}, José N Onuchic^{8

9

10

11}, Michele Di Pierro^{12

13}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA. [email protected].
² Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, UNESP - Univ. Estadual Paulista, Departamento de Física, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil. [email protected].
³ Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
⁴ The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
⁵ Department of Physics & Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
⁶ Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
⁷ Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
⁸ Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA. [email protected].
⁹ Department of Physics & Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA. [email protected].
¹⁰ Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA. [email protected].
¹¹ Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA. [email protected].
¹² Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA. [email protected].
¹³ Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA. [email protected].

Abstract

We use data-driven physical simulations to study the three-dimensional architecture of the Aedes aegypti genome. Hi-C maps exhibit both a broad diagonal and compartmentalization with telomeres and centromeres clustering together. Physical modeling reveals that these observations correspond to an ensemble of 3D chromosomal structures that are folded over and partially condensed. Clustering of the centromeres and telomeres near the nuclear lamina appears to be a necessary condition for the formation of the observed structures. Further analysis of the mechanical properties of the genome reveals that the chromosomes of Aedes aegypti, by virtue of their atypical structural organization, are highly sensitive to the deformation of the nuclei. This last finding provides a possible physical mechanism linking mechanical cues to gene regulation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Aedes* / genetics
Animals
Chromosome Structures
Cues
Interphase
Telomere / genetics

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding