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Role of Enhancers in Development and Diseases
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Epigenomes
|December 30, 2021
Summary
Enhancers, DNA sequences binding transcription factors, are key to cell identity and development. Dysregulation of enhancers contributes to human diseases, offering new therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Enhancers are cis-regulatory DNA elements crucial for gene regulation.
- Transcription factor binding to enhancers dictates cell identity during development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent literature on enhancer roles in development and disease.
- To highlight enhancers as determinants of cell identity and their link to complex diseases.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of published studies on enhancers.
- Analysis of enhancer function in biological processes and disease.
Main Results:
- Enhancers orchestrate gene regulation critical for lineage determination.
- Altered enhancer landscapes are implicated in the etiology of complex human diseases.
Conclusions:
- Enhancers are primary determinants of cell identity.
- Understanding enhancer dysregulation opens avenues for novel therapeutic interventions.
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