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Updated: Jul 8, 2025

Quantitative Comparison of cis-Regulatory Element CRE Activities in Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: December 19, 2011
Sequence reliance of a Drosophila context-dependent transcription factor
Lauren J Hodkinson1, Julia Gross2, Casey A Schmidt3
1Genetics and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA.
Abstract:
Despite binding similar cis elements in multiple locations, a single transcription factor often performs context-dependent functions at different loci. How factors integrate cis sequence and genomic context is still poorly understood and has implications for off-target effects in genetic engineering. The Drosophila context-dependent transcription factor CLAMP targets similar GA-rich cis elements on the X-chromosome and at the histone gene locus but recruits very different, loci-specific factors. We discover that CLAMP leverages information from both cis element and local sequence to perform context-specific functions. Our observations imply the importance of other cues, including protein-protein interactions and the presence of additional cofactors.
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