Euryarchaeal genomes are folded into SMC-dependent loops and domains, but lack transcription-mediated compartmentalization

Cockram et al. generate high-resolution contact maps of bacterial and euryarchaeal genomes. The H. volcanii genome contains multiple large chromatin loops and self-interacting domains similar to bacteria and eukaryotes. These structures are regulated by transcription and SMC condensin. In contrast to crenarchaea, these genomes are not organized into active/inactive compartments.