Graphical Abstract Highlights d Early replicating control elements (ERCEs) regulate replication timing d ERCEs regulate A/B compartmentalization and TAD architecture d ERCEs form CTCF-independent loops and have features of enhancer/promoters d ERCEs enable genetic dissection of large-scale chromosome structure and function SUMMARYThe temporal order of DNA replication (replication timing [RT]) is highly coupled with genome architecture, but cis-elements regulating either remain elusive. We created a series of CRISPR-mediated deletions and inversions of a pluripotency-associated topologically associating domain (TAD) in mouse ESCs. CTCF-associated domain boundaries were dispensable for RT. CTCF protein depletion weakened most TAD boundaries but had no effect on RT or A/B compartmentalization genome-wide. By contrast, deletion of three intra-TAD CTCF-independent 3D contact sites caused a domain-wide earlyto-late RT shift, an A-to-B compartment switch, weakening of TAD architecture, and loss of transcription. The dispensability of TAD boundaries and the necessity of these ''early replication control elements'' (ERCEs) was validated by deletions and inversions at additional domains. Our results demonstrate that discrete cis-regulatory elements orchestrate domain-wide RT, A/B compartmentalization, TAD architecture, and transcription, revealing fundamental principles linking genome structure and function.

The temporal order of DNA replication [replication timing (RT)] is correlated with chromatin modifications and three-dimensional genome architecture; however, causal links have not been established, largely because of an inability to manipulate the global RT program. We show that loss of RIF1 causes near-complete elimination of the RT program by increasing heterogeneity between individual cells. RT changes are coupled with widespread alterations in chromatin modifications and genome compartmentalization. Conditional depletion of RIF1 causes replication-dependent disruption of histone modifications and alterations in genome architecture. These effects were magnified with successive cycles of altered RT. These results support models in which the timing of chromatin replication and thus assembly plays a key role in maintaining the global epigenetic state.

doi: bioRxiv preprint modifications. However, whether the replication timing is a cause, a consequence, or an independent correlate of chromatin structure is a matter of debate (Rhind and Gilbert, 2013).In budding yeast, where replication origin locations are well defined, origin firing is stochastic, with each origin firing with a specific probability, independent of neighboring origins (Czajkowsky et al., 2008;Yang et al., 2010; de Moura et al., 2010). Such stochastic firing leads to reproducible replication profiles at the population level, because more efficient origins are more likely to fire early and therefore, on average, have early replication times; by contrast, inefficient origins usually fire late or are passively replicated (Rhind et al., 2010). The heterogeneous and inefficient nature of metazoan replication initiation is also consistent with stochastic initiation. Simulations with a stochastic firing model, in which initiation is regulated only by a local-firing-probability function, faithfully reproduce experimental genome-wide replication timing profiles, suggesting that no deterministic timing program is required (Gindin et al., 2014b). Furthermore, if the local initiation rate is predicted by DNase I hypersensitivity, the simulation closely matches experimental results, consistent with the observed correlation between promoters and enhancers, which are DNase I hypersensitive, and initiation frequency (Gindin et al., 2014b). On the other hand, the reproducible replication timing of individual replication domains measured in single cells has led to the suggestion that replication within those domains initiates at defined times in most cells in the population (Dileep and Gilbert, 2018). Furthermore, neighboring initiation sites have been proposed to show both cooperative firing and lateral inhibition (Cayrou et al., 2011;Guilbaud et al., 2011;Löb et al., 2016), neither of which are consistent with strictly stochastic models. Therefore, whether metazoan initiation timing is stochastic or deterministic, or some combination of the two, is still very much an open question (Bechhoefer and Rhind, 2012).A powerful solution to the problems of heterogeneity and low signal-to-noise ratios is single-molecule analysis, which allows the identification of sites of replication initiation on individual DNA fibers (Técher et al., 2013). Traditional single-molecule approaches-such as fiber autoradiography (

Cohesin plays an essential role in chromatin loop extrusion, but its impact on a compartmentalized nuclear architecture, linked to nuclear functions, is less well understood. Using live-cell and super-resolved 3D microscopy, here we find that cohesin depletion in a human colon cancer derived cell line results in endomitosis and a single multilobulated nucleus with chromosome territories pervaded by interchromatin channels. Chromosome territories contain chromatin domain clusters with a zonal organization of repressed chromatin domains in the interior and transcriptionally competent domains located at the periphery. These clusters form microscopically defined, active and inactive compartments, which likely correspond to A/B compartments, which are detected with ensemble Hi-C. Splicing speckles are observed nearby within the lining channel system. We further observe that the multilobulated nuclei, despite continuous absence of cohesin, pass through S-phase with typical spatio-temporal patterns of replication domains. Evidence for structural changes of these domains compared to controls suggests that cohesin is required for their full integrity.

Three-dimensional genome organisation and replication timing are known to be correlated, however, it remains unknown whether nuclear architecture overall plays an instructive role in the replication-timing programme and, if so, how. Here we demonstrate that RIF1 is a molecular hub that co-regulates both processes. Both nuclear organisation and replication timing depend upon the interaction between RIF1 and PP1. However, whereas nuclear architecture requires the full complement of RIF1 and its interaction with PP1, replication timing is not sensitive to RIF1 dosage. The role of RIF1 in replication timing also extends beyond its interaction with PP1. Availing of this separation-of-function approach, we have therefore identified in RIF1 dual function the molecular bases of the co-dependency of the replication-timing programme and nuclear architecture.