The Three-Dimensional Chromatin Architecture in Fungi

Three-dimensional genome organization regulates gene expression of key cellular processes, including DNA replication, transcription, repair, and recombination. In fungal species like Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and Neurospora crassa, chromosomes are organized in a polarized fashion to adopt the Rabl configuration. In this mode of chromosomal arrangement, all centromeres form a single cluster at the nuclear envelope near the spindle pole bodies. Telomeres, on the other hand, are present at the opposite end toward the nucleolus. In metazoans, the genome is organized into distinct chromosome territories and adopts non Rabl-like configuration. During the cell cycle, the chromatin undergoes various morphological changes as the cells progress through the cell division. Understanding the key processes involved in modulating the chromatin architecture to suit the needs of the cell is essential. This chapter discusses the principles of fungal genome organization and how the chromatin is folded to facilitate chromosome segregation and its role in DNA replication timing.