MODELING STRUCTURAL ENSEMBLES OF GENOMES

Within the cell nucleus, the genome of eukaryotes folds into partially organized three-dimensional structures specific to the cell type. We will discuss a theoretical framework to model the ensemble of chromosomal structures by combining polymer physics with the maximum entropy principle. Employing this data-driven approach, we can infer parameters of an energy function that reproduces experimental data (Hi-C maps) for various organisms and different stages of the cell cycle.