Xist exploits three-dimensional chromosome architecture to spread across the X-chromosome
Many large noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate chromatin, but the mechanisms by which they localize to genomic targets remain unexplored. Here we investigate the localization mechanisms of Xist during X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), a paradigm of lncRNA-mediated chromatin regulation. During the maintenance of XCI, Xist binds broadly across the X-chromosome.  During initiation of XCI, Xist initially transfers to distal regions across the X-chromosome that are not defined by specific sequences. Instead, Xist identifies these regions by exploiting the three-dimensional conformation of the X-chromosome. Xist initially accumulates on the periphery of actively transcribed regions and requires its silencing domain to spread across active regions. This suggests a model where Xist coats the entire X-chromosome by searching in three dimensions, modifying chromosome structure, and spreading to newly accessible locations. Overall design: We examined the genomic localization of the Xist lncRNA using RNA Antisense Purification (RAP) in multiple cell contexts: 1) differentiated female cells (MLFs);  2) a time-course of Xist localization in male embryonic stem (ES) cells where the endogenous Xist promoter is replaced by a tet-inducible one (pSM33); 3) a time-course of Xist localization in differentiating female ES cells (F1 2-1); and 4) wild-type (delXF6) and A-repeat deletion (delSXC9) Xist transgenes incorporated into the Hprt locus under the control of a tet-inducible promoter.