scholarly journals Enhancer Sharing Promotes Neighborhoods of Transcriptional Regulation Across Eukaryotes

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 4167-4174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Porfirio Quintero-Cadena ◽  
Paul W Sternberg
Keyword(s):  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Genome Size ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Scaling Factor ◽  
Specific Interactions ◽  
Physical Proximity ◽  
Transcriptional Promoters

Abstract Enhancers physically interact with transcriptional promoters, looping over distances that can span multiple regulatory elements. Given that enhancer–promoter (EP) interactions generally occur via common protein complexes, it is unclear whether EP pairing is predominantly deterministic or proximity guided. Here, we present cross-organismic evidence suggesting that most EP pairs are compatible, largely determined by physical proximity rather than specific interactions. By reanalyzing transcriptome datasets, we find that the transcription of gene neighbors is correlated over distances that scale with genome size. We experimentally show that nonspecific EP interactions can explain such correlation, and that EP distance acts as a scaling factor for the transcriptional influence of an enhancer. We propose that enhancer sharing is commonplace among eukaryotes, and that EP distance is an important layer of information in gene regulation.

scholarly journals Enhancer sharing promotes neighborhoods of transcriptional regulation across eukaryotes

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Porfirio Quintero-Cadena ◽  
Paul W. Sternberg
Keyword(s):  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Genome Size ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Scaling Factor ◽  
Specific Interactions ◽  
Physical Proximity ◽  
Transcriptional Promoters

Enhancers physically interact with transcriptional promoters, looping over distances that can span multiple regulatory elements. Given that enhancer-promoter (EP) interactions generally occur via common protein complexes, it is unclear whether EP pairing is predominantly deterministic or proximity guided. Here we present cross-organismic evidence suggesting that most EP pairs are compatible, largely determined by physical proximity rather than specific interactions. By re-analyzing transcriptome datasets, we find that the transcription of gene neighbors is correlated over distances that scale with genome size. We experimentally show that non-specific EP interactions can explain such correlation, and that EP distance acts as a scaling factor for the transcriptional influence of an enhancer. We propose that enhancer sharing is commonplace among eukaryotes, and that EP distance is an important layer of information in gene regulation.

scholarly journals Impact and evolutionary determinants of Neanderthal introgression on transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Silvert ◽  
Lluis Quintana-Murci ◽  
Maxime Rotival
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Modern Humans ◽  
Archaic Admixture ◽  
Archaic Introgression ◽  
Post Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
The Impact

AbstractArchaic admixture is increasingly recognized as an important source of diversity in modern humans, with Neanderthal haplotypes covering 1-3% of the genome of present-day Eurasians. Recent work has shown that archaic introgression has contributed to human phenotypic diversity, mostly through the regulation of gene expression. Yet, the mechanisms through which archaic variants alter gene expression, and the forces driving the introgression landscape at regulatory regions remain elusive. Here, we explored the impact of archaic introgression on transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, focusing on promoters and enhancers across 127 different tissues as well as microRNA-mediated regulation. Although miRNAs themselves harbor few archaic variants, we found that some of these variants may have a strong impact on miRNA-mediated gene regulation. Enhancers were by far the regulatory elements most affected by archaic introgression, with one third of the tissues tested presenting significant enrichments. Specifically, we found strong enrichments of archaic variants in adipose-related tissues and primary T cells, even after accounting for various genomic and evolutionary confounders such as recombination rate and background selection. Interestingly, we identified signatures of adaptive introgression at enhancers of some key regulators of adipogenesis, raising the interesting hypothesis of a possible adaptation of early Eurasians to colder climates. Collectively, this study sheds new light onto the mechanisms through which archaic admixture have impacted gene regulation in Eurasians and, more generally, increases our understanding of the contribution of Neanderthals to the regulation of acquired immunity and adipose homeostasis in modern humans.

scholarly journals Promoter boundaries for theluxCDABEandbetIBA-proXWVoperons inVibrio harveyidefined by the method RAIL: Rapid Arbitrary PCR Insertion Libraries

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M. Hustmyer ◽  
Chelsea A. Simpson ◽  
Stephen G. Olney ◽  
Matthew L. Bochman ◽  
Julia C. van Kessel
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Vibrio Harveyi ◽  
Reporter Genes ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
New Method ◽  
Regulatory Sequences

AbstractExperimental studies of transcriptional regulation in bacteria require the ability to precisely measure changes in gene expression, often accomplished through the use of reporter genes. However, the boundaries of promoter sequences required for transcription are often unknown, thus complicating construction of reporters and genetic analysis of transcriptional regulation. Here, we analyze reporter libraries to define the promoter boundaries of theluxCDABEbioluminescence operon and thebetIBA-proXWVosmotic stress operon inVibrio harveyi. We describe a new method called RAIL (RapidArbitrary PCRInsertionLibraries) that combines the power of arbitrary PCR and isothermal DNA assembly to rapidly clone promoter fragments of various lengths upstream of reporter genes to generate large libraries. To demonstrate the versatility and efficiency of RAIL, we analyzed the promoters driving expression of theluxCDABEandbetIBA-proXWVoperons and created libraries of DNA fragments from these loci fused to fluorescent reporters. Using flow cytometry sorting and deep sequencing, we identified the DNA regions necessary and sufficient for maximum gene expression for each promoter. These analyses uncovered previously unknown regulatory sequences and validated known transcription factor binding sites. We applied this high-throughput method togfp, mCherry, andlacZreporters and multiple promoters inV. harveyi. We anticipate that the RAIL method will be easily applicable to other model systems for genetic, molecular, and cell biological applications.ImportanceGene reporter constructs have long been essential tools for studying gene regulation in bacteria, particularly following the recent advent of fluorescent gene reporters. We developed a new method that enables efficient construction of promoter fusions to reporter genes to study gene regulation. We demonstrate the versatility of this technique in the model bacteriumVibrio harveyiby constructing promoter libraries for three bacterial promoters using three reporter genes. These libraries can be used to determine the DNA sequences required for gene expression, revealing regulatory elements in promoters. This method is applicable to various model systems and reporter genes for assaying gene expression.

scholarly journals Promoter Boundaries for theluxCDABEandbetIBA-proXWVOperons inVibrio harveyiDefined by the Method Rapid Arbitrary PCR Insertion Libraries (RAIL)

2018 ◽  
Vol 200 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M. Hustmyer ◽  
Chelsea A. Simpson ◽  
Stephen G. Olney ◽  
Douglas B. Rusch ◽  
Matthew L. Bochman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Vibrio Harveyi ◽  
Reporter Genes ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
New Method ◽  
Regulatory Sequences ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTExperimental studies of transcriptional regulation in bacteria require the ability to precisely measure changes in gene expression, often accomplished through the use of reporter genes. However, the boundaries of promoter sequences required for transcription are often unknown, thus complicating the construction of reporters and genetic analysis of transcriptional regulation. Here, we analyze reporter libraries to define the promoter boundaries of theluxCDABEbioluminescence operon and thebetIBA-proXWVosmotic stress operon inVibrio harveyi. We describe a new method calledrapidarbitrary PCRinsertionlibraries (RAIL) that combines the power of arbitrary PCR and isothermal DNA assembly to rapidly clone promoter fragments of various lengths upstream of reporter genes to generate large libraries. To demonstrate the versatility and efficiency of RAIL, we analyzed the promoters driving expression of theluxCDABEandbetIBA-proXWVoperons and created libraries of DNA fragments from these loci fused to fluorescent reporters. Using flow cytometry sorting and deep sequencing, we identified the DNA regions necessary and sufficient for maximum gene expression for each promoter. These analyses uncovered previously unknown regulatory sequences and validated known transcription factor binding sites. We applied this high-throughput method togfp,mCherry, andlacZreporters and multiple promoters inV. harveyi. We anticipate that the RAIL method will be easily applicable to other model systems for genetic, molecular, and cell biological applications.IMPORTANCEGene reporter constructs have long been essential tools for studying gene regulation in bacteria, particularly following the recent advent of fluorescent gene reporters. We developed a new method that enables efficient construction of promoter fusions to reporter genes to study gene regulation. We demonstrate the versatility of this technique in the model bacteriumVibrio harveyiby constructing promoter libraries for three bacterial promoters using three reporter genes. These libraries can be used to determine the DNA sequences required for gene expression, revealing regulatory elements in promoters. This method is applicable to various model systems and reporter genes for assaying gene expression.

scholarly journals Epigenomic Analysis of RAD51 ChIP-seq Data Reveals cis-regulatory Elements Associated with Autophagy in Cancer Cell Lines

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2547
Author(s):  
Keunsoo Kang ◽  
Yoonjung Choi ◽  
Hyeonjin Moon ◽  
Chaelin You ◽  
Minjin Seo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Homologous Recombination ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
E Box ◽  
Autophagy Pathway ◽  
Mcf 7

RAD51 is a recombinase that plays a pivotal role in homologous recombination. Although the role of RAD51 in homologous recombination has been extensively studied, it is unclear whether RAD51 can be involved in gene regulation as a co-factor. In this study, we found evidence that RAD51 may contribute to the regulation of genes involved in the autophagy pathway with E-box proteins such as USF1, USF2, and/or MITF in GM12878, HepG2, K562, and MCF-7 cell lines. The canonical USF binding motif (CACGTG) was significantly identified at RAD51-bound cis-regulatory elements in all four cell lines. In addition, genome-wide USF1, USF2, and/or MITF-binding regions significantly coincided with the RAD51-associated cis-regulatory elements in the same cell line. Interestingly, the promoters of genes associated with the autophagy pathway, such as ATG3 and ATG5, were significantly occupied by RAD51 and regulated by RAD51 in HepG2 and MCF-7 cell lines. Taken together, these results unveiled a novel role of RAD51 and provided evidence that RAD51-associated cis-regulatory elements could possibly be involved in regulating autophagy-related genes with E-box binding proteins.

scholarly journals The regulatory genome of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae: integrating chromatin accessibility and gene expression

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
José L Ruiz ◽  
Lisa C Ranford-Cartwright ◽  
Elena Gómez-Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Anopheles Gambiae ◽  
Mosquito Control ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Chromatin Accessibility ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Human Malaria

Abstract Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes are primary human malaria vectors, but we know very little about their mechanisms of transcriptional regulation. We profiled chromatin accessibility by the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin by sequencing (ATAC-seq) in laboratory-reared A. gambiae mosquitoes experimentally infected with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. By integrating ATAC-seq, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data, we showed a positive correlation between accessibility at promoters and introns, gene expression and active histone marks. By comparing expression and chromatin structure patterns in different tissues, we were able to infer cis-regulatory elements controlling tissue-specific gene expression and to predict the in vivo binding sites of relevant transcription factors. The ATAC-seq assay also allowed the precise mapping of active regulatory regions, including novel transcription start sites and enhancers that were annotated to mosquito immune-related genes. Not only is this study important for advancing our understanding of mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in the mosquito vector of human malaria, but the information we produced also has great potential for developing new mosquito-control and anti-malaria strategies.

scholarly journals CFTR Cooperative Cis-Regulatory Elements in Intestinal Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2599
Author(s):  
Mégane Collobert ◽  
Ozvan Bocher ◽  
Anaïs Le Nabec ◽  
Emmanuelle Génin ◽  
Claude Férec ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Genetic Diseases ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Cftr Gene ◽  
Intestinal Cells ◽  
Cooperative Effects ◽  
Cis Acting ◽  
Study Techniques

About 8% of the human genome is covered with candidate cis-regulatory elements (cCREs). Disruptions of CREs, described as “cis-ruptions” have been identified as being involved in various genetic diseases. Thanks to the development of chromatin conformation study techniques, several long-range cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) regulatory elements were identified, but the regulatory mechanisms of the CFTR gene have yet to be fully elucidated. The aim of this work is to improve our knowledge of the CFTR gene regulation, and to identity factors that could impact the CFTR gene expression, and potentially account for the variability of the clinical presentation of cystic fibrosis as well as CFTR-related disorders. Here, we apply the robust GWAS3D score to determine which of the CFTR introns could be involved in gene regulation. This approach highlights four particular CFTR introns of interest. Using reporter gene constructs in intestinal cells, we show that two new introns display strong cooperative effects in intestinal cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses further demonstrate fixation of transcription factors network. These results provide new insights into our understanding of the CFTR gene regulation and allow us to suggest a 3D CFTR locus structure in intestinal cells. A better understand of regulation mechanisms of the CFTR gene could elucidate cases of patients where the phenotype is not yet explained by the genotype. This would thus help in better diagnosis and therefore better management. These cis-acting regions may be a therapeutic challenge that could lead to the development of specific molecules capable of modulating gene expression in the future.

scholarly journals Binding of an X-Specific Condensin Correlates with a Reduction in Active Histone Modifications at Gene Regulatory Elements

Genetics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 212 (3) ◽  
pp. 729-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Annika Street ◽  
Ana Karina Morao ◽  
Lara Heermans Winterkorn ◽  
Chen-Yu Jiao ◽  
Sarah Elizabeth Albritton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Histone Modifications ◽  
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved ◽  
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing ◽  
Gene Regulatory Elements ◽  
Gene Regulatory ◽  
Regulatory Sites

Condensins are evolutionarily conserved protein complexes that are required for chromosome segregation during cell division and genome organization during interphase. In Caenorhabditis elegans, a specialized condensin, which forms the core of the dosage compensation complex (DCC), binds to and represses X chromosome transcription. Here, we analyzed DCC localization and the effect of DCC depletion on histone modifications, transcription factor binding, and gene expression using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and mRNA sequencing. Across the X, the DCC accumulates at accessible gene regulatory sites in active chromatin and not heterochromatin. The DCC is required for reducing the levels of activating histone modifications, including H3K4me3 and H3K27ac, but not repressive modification H3K9me3. In X-to-autosome fusion chromosomes, DCC spreading into the autosomal sequences locally reduces gene expression, thus establishing a direct link between DCC binding and repression. Together, our results indicate that DCC-mediated transcription repression is associated with a reduction in the activity of X chromosomal gene regulatory elements.

scholarly journals Transcriptional regulation of metabolism in disease: From transcription factors to epigenetics

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liam J. Hawkins ◽  
Rasha Al-attar ◽  
Kenneth B. Storey
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Genomic Sequence ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Regulatory Pathways ◽  
Transcriptional Dysregulation ◽  
Disease States ◽  
Specific Subset ◽  
Transcriptional Regulatory ◽  
Cis And Trans ◽  
Or Genes

Every cell in an individual has largely the same genomic sequence and yet cells in different tissues can present widely different phenotypes. This variation arises because each cell expresses a specific subset of genomic instructions. Control over which instructions, or genes, are expressed is largely controlled by transcriptional regulatory pathways. Each cell must assimilate a huge amount of environmental input, and thus it is of no surprise that transcription is regulated by many intertwining mechanisms. This large regulatory landscape means there are ample possibilities for problems to arise, which in a medical context means the development of disease states. Metabolism within the cell, and more broadly, affects and is affected by transcriptional regulation. Metabolism can therefore contribute to improper transcriptional programming, or pathogenic metabolism can be the result of transcriptional dysregulation. Here, we discuss the established and emerging mechanisms for controling transcription and how they affect metabolism in the context of pathogenesis. Cis- and trans-regulatory elements, microRNA and epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA and histone methylation, all have input into what genes are transcribed. Each has also been implicated in diseases such as metabolic syndrome, various forms of diabetes, and cancer. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of these areas and highlight some natural models that may inspire future therapeutics.

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