Going through the motions; Chromatin organization and dynamics across scales

Genome organization determines cell fate and is fundamental for the development of complex organisms. In the nucleus, chromatin forms distinct structures at varying scales with dynamics that allow for genome compaction and accessibility to co-occur. Here, we review the current understanding of such structures and their dynamics, and the corresponding functional consequences. Key advances include elucidating the effects of chromatin structure on chromatin dynamics and vice-versa, defining trans-acting chromatin factors that modulate mesoscale chromatin organization and dynamics, and exploring the role of RNA in nucleating distinct nuclear compartments.