Chromatin biology is often an exercise in architectural storytelling. Thanks to the explosion of genomics, multi-omics, and Hi-C, we now have a unique opportunity to zoom in on a single gene and its cis-regulatory surroundings. We can ask: How is the gene expressed across tissues? What does its regulatory landscape look like? What mechanisms govern its behavior?

In our latest work, we dive deep into the regulation of a gene crucial for the immune response of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). We discovered that the Type I Interferon gene environment is “pre-folded” into specific domains and compartmental structures. This structural blueprint allows for the rapid, specific, and highly effective activation required for an immune response.

N. M. Adams, A. Galitsyna, …, I. Solovei, L. A. Mirny, B. Reizis “Chromatin-mediated anticipatory control of type I interferon production in plasmacytoid dendritic cells” Immunity 59(2) 270-287.e11 (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2025.12.005

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2025.12.005