Fig. 2: Interactions and impact of roX RNAs on H3K27me3 chromatin deposition.

a Association of roX RNAs with histone marks on the X chromosome and autosomes. Binding intensities of specific histone marks, including the active marks H4K16ac and H3K36me3 on the X chromosome, and the repressive H3K27me3 on autosomes, are depicted within ±3 kb genomic regions surrounding roX peaks. (b) Reduction in H3K27me3 enrichment at autosomal roX binding sites following roX RNA loss. Binding intensities of H3K27me3 are compared between wild type (WT) and roX double knockout (roX-KO) male larvae within ±3 kb genomic regions surrounding roX peaks. Evidence of physical interactions between roX RNAs and H3K27me3, as demonstrated by PIRCh-seq (c) and RT&Tag (d) data. Mean ± SEM values are shown (n = 5 independent experiments), and significance levels are determined using the two-sided Wilcoxon test (d). (e) Genome track view displaying representative examples of diminished H3K27me3 enrichment near autosomal roX binding sites upon roX RNA depletion. In male larvae, the enrichment of H3K27me3 (f) and its alterations upon roX loss (g) exhibit a notably stronger correlation with the proximity to the nearest roX peaks on autosomes in comparison to the X chromosome. As the distance between H3K27me3 peaks and roX peaks increases, both H3K27me3 signals (f ) and the fold change in signal upon roX loss (g) demonstrate a diminishing trend on autosomes. Pearson’s correlation coefficients (R) are employed to assess these associations. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.