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Stochastic patterns in globin gene expression are established prior to transcriptional activation and are clonally
Mariken de Krom1, Mariette van de Corput, Marieke von Lindern
1Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Erasmus University Rotterdam, PO Box 1738, 3000DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
We have undertaken a detailed characterization of mouse globin gene expression patterns in the nucleus and cytoplasm of single erythroid cells. We demonstrate an imbalance of alpha- versus beta-globin expression in a significant proportion of cells both in nuclear transcription patterns and cytoplasmic mRNA levels. Clonal cell analysis showed these expression patterns to be clonally inherited, while analysis of a multicopy transgenic locus showed an all-or-none effect in the activation of all the genes in one locus. These data provide strong evidence for a stochastic basis of globin gene activation resulting in heritable all-or-none expression patterns.