CTCF is a DNA-tension-dependent barrier to cohesin-mediated loop extrusion

Abstract In eukaryotes, genomic DNA is extruded into loops by cohesin 1 . By restraining this process, the DNA-binding protein CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) generates topologically associating domains (TADs) 2,3 that have important roles in gene regulation and recombination during development and disease 1,4–7 . How CTCF establishes TAD boundaries and to what extent these are permeable to cohesin is unclear 8 . Here, to address these questions, we visualize interactions of single CTCF and cohesin molecules on DNA in vitro. We show that CTCF is sufficient to block diffusing cohesin, possibly reflecting how cohesive cohesin accumulates at TAD boundaries, and is also sufficient to block loop-extruding cohesin,…

• EC
  European Commission

  Awards: 101020558, 878286, 883684
• VS
  Vienna Science and Technology Fund

  Award: LS19-029
• UW
  Universität Wien
• NO
  Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek

  Award: OCENW.GROOT.2019.012
• ÖF
  Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft

  Award: FFG-878286
• MU
  Medizinische Universität Wien