CTCF/RAD21 organize the ground state of chromatin–nuclear speckle association

Abstract

Recent findings indicate that nuclear speckles, a distinct type of nuclear body, interact with certain chromatin regions in a ground state. Here, we report that the chromatin structural factors CTCF and cohesin are required for full ground-state association between DNA and nuclear speckles. We identified a putative speckle-targeting motif (STM) within cohesin subunit RAD21 and demonstrated that the STM is required for chromatin–nuclear speckle association, disruption of which also impaired induction of speckle-associated genes. Depletion of the cohesin-releasing factor WAPL, which stabilizes cohesin on chromatin, resulted in reinforcement of DNA–speckle contacts and enhanced inducibility of speckle-associated genes. Additionally, we observed disruption of chromatin–nuclear speckle association in patient-derived cells with Cornelia de Lange syndrome, a congenital neurodevelopmental disorder involving defective cohesin pathways. In summary, our findings reveal a mechanism for establishing the ground state of chromatin–speckle association and promoting gene inducibility, with relevance to human disease. The authors reveal that the chromatin architectural proteins CTCF and RAD21 organize DNA around nuclear speckles to enhance gene induction. This structural organization, when disrupted as in Cornelia de Lange syndrome, impairs key gene functions, providing insight into potential disease mechanisms.