Perspectives on the use of super-enhancers as a defining feature of cell/tissue-identity genes
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Published on: April 21, 2023
Julie Dubois-Chevalier1, Vanessa Dubois1, Bart Staels1
1University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1011-EGID, Lille F-59000 Lille, France.
Abstract:
Super-enhancers (SE) have become a popular concept and are widely used as a feature defining key identity genes. Here, we provide perspectives on the use of SE to define and identify cell/tissue-identity genes. By mining SE and their associated genes using murine functional genomics data, we highlight and discuss current limitations and open questions regarding both the sensitivity and specificity of identity genes/transcription factors predicted by SE. In this context, we point to cell/tissue-specific promoters as an important additional level of information, which we propose to combine with SE when aiming to define potential identity genes.
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