Chromatin Structure Around Long Non-Coding RNA (lncRNA) Genes in Schistosoma mansoni Gonads

In this study, we employed a total of eight distinct modifications of histone proteins (H3K23ac, H3K27me3, H3K36me3, H3K4me3, H3K9ac, H3K9me3, H4K12ac, and H4K20me1) to discern the various chromatin colors encompassing lncRNA genes in both mature and immature gonads of the human parasite <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>. Our investigation revealed that these chromatin colors exhibit a tendency to aggregate based on the similarities in their metagene shapes, leading to the formation of less than six distinct clusters. Moreover, these clusters can be further grouped according to their resemblances by shape, which are co-linear with specific regions of the genes, and potentially associated with transcriptional stages.