The architect of genome folding

The DNA molecule is not naked in the nucleus. Instead, it is folded in a very organized way by the help of different proteins to establish a unique spatial organization of the genetic information. This 3D spatial genome organization is fundamental for the regulation of our genes and has to be established de novo by each individual during early embryogenesis. Researchers now reveal a yet unknown and critical role of the protein HP1a in the 3D genome re-organization after fertilization. The study identifies HP1a as an epigenetic regulator that is involved in establishing the global structure of the genome in the early Drosophila embryo.