Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 27, 2026

10:44
In Vitro Selection of Engineered Transcriptional Repressors for Targeted Epigenetic Silencing
Published on: May 5, 2023
2.6K
Repression of chimeric transcripts emanating from endogenous retrotransposons by a sequence-specific transcription
Genome Biology
|June 21, 2014
Summary
Krüppel-like Factor 3 (KLF3) silences specific retroviral elements in erythroid cells. This prevents aberrant transcripts, like a dominant-negative PU.1 isoform, maintaining transcriptome integrity.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Retroviral elements are transcribed and regulated during development.
- Histone and DNA modifying enzymes are linked to retroviral silencing.
- Selective recognition of diverse retroviral families remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the specific factors involved in retroviral element silencing.
- Determine the role of Krüppel-like Factor 3 (KLF3) in erythroid cells.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of retroviral transcription in murine erythroid cells.
- Investigating the function of KLF3 in regulating retroviral elements.
- Identifying aberrant transcripts and their functional consequences.
Main Results:
- KLF3 specifically silences ORR1A0 long terminal repeat transcription in erythroid cells.
- Absence of KLF3 leads to widespread ORR1A0 transcription driven by KLF1.
- Aberrant transcripts can splice to genic exons, producing a dominant-negative PU.1 isoform.
Conclusions:
- KLF3 is crucial for maintaining murine erythroid transcriptome integrity.
- KLF3 selectively represses specific retroelements.
- KLF3 likely cooperates with other factors for global retroviral silencing.
Related Concept Videos
Non-LTR Retrotransposons
12.4K
As the name suggests, non-LTR retrotransposons lack the long terminal repeats characteristic of the LTR retrotransposons. Additionally, both LTR and non-LTR retrotransposons use distinct mechanisms of mobilization. Non-LTR retrotransposons are further divided into two classes - Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), both of which occur abundantly in most mammals, including humans. Some of the active non-LTR retrotransposons in humans are L1...
12.4K
Eukaryotic Transcription Inhibitors
9.0K
Certain biochemical processes, such as embryonic development and cell growth regulation, depend on the repression of specific genes. DNA binding proteins known as eukaryotic transcription inhibitors regulate the repression of gene expression in eukaryotes. The presence of these inhibitors at the required location and time in the cell is triggered by the presence of hormones and additional signals from other cells.
Eukaryotic transcription inhibitors usually contain two distinct domains, a...
Eukaryotic transcription inhibitors usually contain two distinct domains, a...
9.0K
RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins
8.9K
Proteins that regulate transcription can do so either via direct contact with RNA Polymerase or through indirect interactions facilitated by adaptors, mediators, histone-modifying proteins, and nucleosome remodelers. Direct interactions to activate transcription is seen in bacteria as well as in some eukaryotic genes. In these cases, upstream activation sequences are adjacent to the promoters, and the activator proteins interact directly with the transcriptional machinery. For example, in...
8.9K
LTR Retrotransposons
18.0K
LTR retrotransposons are class I transposable elements with long terminal repeats flanking an internal coding region. These elements are less abundant in mammals compared to other class I transposable elements. About 8 percent of human genomic DNA comprises LTR retrotransposons. Some of the common examples of LTR retrotransposons are Ty elements in yeast and Copia elements in Drosophila.
The internal coding region of LTR retrotransposons and their mechanism of transposition closely resembles a...
The internal coding region of LTR retrotransposons and their mechanism of transposition closely resembles a...
18.0K
Inheritance of Chromatin Structures
6.0K
Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying...
6.0K
Co-activators and Co-repressors
6.9K
Gene transcription is regulated by the synergistic action of several proteins that form a complex at a gene regulatory site. This is observed in eukaryotes, where the regulation of gene expression is a complex process. Regulatory proteins in eukaryotes can broadly be classified into two types – regulators that bind directly to specific DNA sequences and co-regulators that associate with regulatory proteins but cannot directly bind to the DNA. These co-regulators are further divided into...
6.9K

