Anchoring of heterochromatin to the nuclear lamina helps stabilize dosage compensation-mediated gene repression

Higher order structure of interphase chromosomes and their spatial organization within the nucleus can have profound effects on regulation of gene expression. We show how compartmentalizing the genome by tethering heterochromatic regions to the nuclear lamina can affect gene expression during C. elegans dosage compensation. In this organism, the dosage compensation complex (DCC) binds both X chromosomes of hermaphrodites to repress gene expression two-fold, thus balancing gene expression between XX hermaphrodites and XO males. X chromosome structure is disrupted by mutations in DCC subunits. We found that X chromosome structure and subnuclear localization are also disrupted when the mechanisms that anchor heterochromatin to the nuclear lamina are defective. Strikingly, the heterochromatic left end of the X chromosome is less affected than the gene-rich middle region which lacks heterochromatic anchors. Our results suggest a model in which tethers at the left of the chromosome nucleate formation of a compact structure, which, by the action of the DCC, is propagated to the rest of the chromosome. These changes in X chromosome structure and subnuclear localization are accompanied by small, but significant levels of derepression of X-linked genes, without any observable defects in DCC localization and DCC-mediated changes in histone modification. RNA-seq profiles of C. elegans L1 wild type hermaphrodites, cec-4, met-2 set-25, and DPY-27 RNAi. RNA-seq profiles or C. elegans. Strains are N2 Bristol strain (wild type), RB2301 cec-4(ok3124) IV, and EKM99 met-2(n4256) set-25(n5021) III. Biological replicates for each strain/stage listed separately.