Figure 5. Genome function drives structure.
All cells of an organism contain genomes of identical sequence (left single nucleus), but different cell-types express distinct gene expression programs (heatmaps) and consequently have different genome topologies as detected by chromatin interaction maps. The cell-type specific homotypic chromatin-chromatin interactions drive higher-order genome organization and generate distinct overall genome topologies in different cell types, resulting in cell-type specific patterns of euchromatin (green) and heterochromatin (red). (right) Within a cell type, the heterogeneity of chromatin-chromatin interactions generates cell-to-cell variability in the population.