The formation and spatial arrangement of chromosome territories (CTs) in interphase has been posited to influence the outcome and frequency of genomic translocations. This is supported by correlations between the frequency of inter-chromosomal contacts and translocation events in myriad systems. However, it remains unclear if CT formation itself influences the translocation potential of cells. We address this question in Drosophila cells by modulating the level of Condensin II, which regulates CT organization. Using whole-chromosome Oligopaints to identify genomic rearrangements, we find that increased contact frequencies between chromosomes due to Condensin II knockdown leads to an increased propensity to form translocations following DNA damage. Moreover, Condensin II over-expression is sufficient to drive spatial separation of CTs and attenuate the translocation potential of cells. Together, these results provide the first causal evidence that proper CT formation can protect the genome from potentially deleterious translocations in the presence of DNA damage.

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Although the molecular rules governing genome organization are being quickly elucidated, relatively few proteins regulating this process have been identified. To address this gap, we developed a fully automated imaging pipeline, called HiDRO (high-throughput DNA or RNA labeling with optimized Oligopaints), that permits quantitative measurement of chromatin interactions across a large number of samples. Using HiDRO, we screened the human druggable genome and identified >300 factors that regulate chromatin folding during interphase, including 43 validated hits that either increase or decrease interactions between topological associating domains (TADs). We discovered that genetic or chemical inhibition of the ubiquitous kinase GSK3A enhances long-range interactions by dysregulating cohesin-mediated chromatin looping. Collectively, these results highlight a noncanonical role for GSK3A signaling in nuclear architecture and underscore the broader utility of HiDRO-based screening to identify novel mechanisms that drive the spatial organization of the genome.

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