Topologically Associating Domains (TAD)
Topologically Associating Domains (TADs)represent fundamental mid-scale units of chromatin folding, appearing as triangular regions of enriched interactions along the diagonal of chromatin contact maps. Genomic sequences within a TAD exhibit strong self-association, whereas interactions across domain boundaries are markedly reduced, reflecting a clear insulation property. This structural insulation is typically maintained by boundary-associated factors such as CTCF and cohesin complexes, which restrict the range of cis-regulatory interactions and establish functionally autonomous regulatory domains. TADs are highly conserved across evolution and diverse cell types, underscoring their central role in organizing the 3D genome. In this module, TADs and their boundaries were identified using the Arrowhead algorithm from juicer toolkit.