Computational Search for Functional Interchromosomal Interactions

In recent years, novel genomic technologies such as Hi-C have highlighted the central role of spatial genome organization. Hi-C uses next generation sequencing to map the spatial proximity of pairs of DNA loci genome wide, resulting in unprecedented resolution linking 3D genome structure to sequence. Interaction maps produced by Hi-C have demonstrated several genomic structures associated with biological function such as gene regulation. However, most of these functional interactions are intrachromosomal and much less is known regarding functional interactions between chromosomes.
In this work, we have developed computational approaches to identify interchromosomal structural patterns in interaction maps that are associated with biological function.