Chromatin regulators (CRs) can dynamically modulate chromatin architecture to epigenetically regulate gene expression in response to intrinsic and extrinsic signalling cues. Somatic alterations or misexpression of CRs might reprogram the epigenomic landscape of chromatin, which in turn lead to a wide range of common diseases, notably cancer. Here, we present CR2Cancer, a comprehensive annotation and visualization database for CRs in human cancer constructed by high throughput data analysis and literature mining. We collected and integrated genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, clinical and functional information for over 400 CRs across multiple cancer types. We also built diverse types of CR-associated relations, including cancer type dependent (CR-target and miRNA-CR) and independent (protein-protein interaction and drug-target) ones. Furthermore, we manually curated around 6000 items of aberrant molecular alterations and interactions of CRs in cancer development from 5007 publications. CR2Cancer provides a user-friendly web interface to conveniently browse, search and download data of interest. We believe that this database would become a valuable resource for cancer epigenetics investigation and potential clinical application. CR2Cancer is freely available at http://cis.hku.hk/CR2Cancer.

Fouquieria splendens is a stem-succulent native to the Chihuahuan, Mojave, and Sonoran Deserts that spans Mexico and the American Southwest. It is well-known for its variable morphology, the underlying reason for which remains incompletely understood. Here, we attempt to quantify the effect of topographic and interspecific factors on F. splendens morphology and distribution. To this end, we measured 27 ocotillos located in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument within the Sonoran Desert during June of 2019. We also quantified the spatial distribution of interspecific neighbors relative to F. splendens within two topographically different sites - a bajada gradient and a plain. Using ocotillo morphology, the distances to an ocotillo’s nearest neighbors, and hydrographic data extracted from the National Hydrography Dataset, we demonstrate 1.) the effect of major, desert, interspecific neighbors, like shrubs and cacti, on ocotillo morphology; 2.) the effect of elevation on intraspecific spacing as individuals compete for limited space; and 3.) a trade-off between height and number of branches. This places F. splendens morphology in its larger environmental and ecological context, highlighting the importance of individual traits and associated trade-offs among traits affected by topography and interspecific neighbors. By examining the ocotillo in a multi-species community and diverse landscape, this study provides empirical insight into a wider range of factors contributing to the variation in F. splendens morphology and spacing.