Supplemental data for "3D chromatin maps of a brown alga reveal U/V sex chromosome spatial organization"

The Ectocarpus chromosomes do not contain large local interactive domains that resemble TADs described in animals, but their 3D genome organization is largely shaped by post-translational modifications of histone proteins that regulate chromatin compaction and mediate transcriptional regulation. We describe the spatial conformation and sub-nuclear positioning of the sex determining region (SDR) within the U and V chromosomes and show that these regions are insulated and span the centromeres.

Moreover, we link sex-specific chromatin dynamics and gene expression levels to the 3D chromatin structure of the U and V chromosomes. Finally, we uncover the unique conformation of a large genomic region on chromosome 6 harboring an endogenous viral element (EVE), providing insights regarding the impact of a latent giant dsDNA virus on the host genome’s 3D chromosomal folding.