Transcription-factor-mediated supervision of global genome architecture maintains B cell identity

Abstract

Recent studies have elucidated cell-lineage-specific three-dimensional genome organization; however, how such specific architecture is established or maintained is unclear. We hypothesized that lineage-defining transcription factors maintain cell identity via global control of genome organization. These factors bind many genomic sites outside of the genes that they directly regulate and thus are potentially implicated in three-dimensional genome organization. Using chromosome-conformation-capture techniques, we show that the transcription factor Paired box 5 (Pax5) is critical for the establishment and maintenance of the global lineage-specific architecture of B cells. Pax5 was found to supe..