The collapsing architecture of the cancer genome
A study mapping the three-dimensional structure of chromatin in a model of breast cancer progression reveals a profound disorganization of the genome. While the basic building blocks of genome folding remain, the larger-scale spatial compartments and the interactions between domains are significantly restructured. This breakdown in 3D architecture is linked to changes in gene expression, most strikingly illustrated by a novel interchromosomal insertion event that places the MYC oncogene into a highly active genomic neighborhood, driving its abnormal activation.
Why it might matter to you:
This work provides a mechanistic framework for understanding how structural variants, beyond simple gene disruption, can rewire gene regulation through changes in the 3D genome. For a researcher focused on population-specific genetic variation and pharmacogenomics, these findings highlight a potential new layer of complexity. Structural variants that alter genomic architecture could influence the expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes or disease-related genes in ways that are not predictable from linear sequence data alone, potentially affecting the interpretation of genetic biomarkers across different populations.
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