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Quantifying the Activity of cis-Regulatory Elements in the Mouse Retina by Explant Electroporation
Published on: June 28, 2011
Multiple regulatory regions control the complex expression pattern of the mouse Cdx2 homeobox gene
Fairouz Benahmed1, Isabelle Gross, Stephen J Gaunt
1INSERM, U682, Strasbourg, France.
Gastroenterology
|July 29, 2008
Summary
The Cdx2 gene
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Gene regulation
- Genomics
Background:
- The Cdx2 homeobox gene is crucial for embryonic development, including gut identity.
- Understanding Cdx2 regulation is key to comprehending intestinal development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map regulatory genomic regions controlling Cdx2 transcription.
- To identify elements essential for gut-specific Cdx2 expression.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 13 kilobases (kb) of the mouse Cdx2 locus in transgenic mice.
- Utilized cell assays to assess transcriptional activity of genomic fragments.
Main Results:
- A 250-base pair segment around -8.5 kb, involving HNF4alpha, GATA6, Tcf4, and beta-catenin, drives Cdx2 expression in intestinal cells.
- Far upstream sequences (-9 kb) are necessary for sustained Cdx2 activity in the gut epithelium.
Conclusions:
- Complex regulatory regions govern Cdx2's developmental roles.
- Specific upstream elements and transcription factor cooperation ensure lifelong gut-specific Cdx2 expression.
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02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
02:02Cis-regulatory Sequences
Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...
02:33Combinatorial Gene Control
Combinatorial gene control is the synergistic action of several transcriptional factors to regulate the expression of a single gene. The absence of one or more of these factors may lead to a significant difference in the level of gene expression or repression.
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
02:23Master Transcription Regulators
Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...
02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
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Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
02:02Cis-regulatory Sequences
Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...