GSE173074
DNA G-quadruplexes contribute to CTCF and cohesin recruitment
G-quadruplex (G4) sites in the human genome frequently colocalize with CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF)-bound sites within topologically associating domains (TADs) or at TAD boundaries. We investigated three mechanisms by which G4s may contribute to CTCF recruitment. One involved direct interactions between CTCF and G4s that persisted in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. Synthetic G4s from CpG islands (CGIs) formed complexes with CTCF in vitro, and CTCF occupancy at the respective sites in the genome was modulated by a G4-stabilizing ligand. Another possible mechanism was through G4 interference with DNA methyltransferase activity in CGIs. Bioinformatics analysis confirmed that G4s underlie the association between CTCF and CGIs, but did not support a critical role for methylation in CTCF recruitment to G4-harboring CGIs. The third mechanism was through attracting additional protein factors. We found that G4s are recognized by the nucleosome density modulating high-mobility group (HMG) proteins and the cohesin-interacting protein additional sex combs-like 1. The affinity for these proteins is the basis for indirect G4 contributions to CTCF positioning and TAD demarcation. Overall design: CTCF ChIP-seq data for PDS-treated and non-treated K562 cells