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Updated: May 10, 2026
07:23
Describing a Transcription Factor Dependent Regulation of the MicroRNA Transcriptome
Published on: June 15, 2016
Microbial signals meet regulatory DNA: Gut microbiota control liver gene expression through cis-regulatory elements
Orsalia Hazapis1, Iannis Talianidis1
1Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology, Hellas (IMBB-FORTH), Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Molecular Cell
|May 8, 2026
Summary
Researchers linked microbial metabolites to DNA sequences controlling liver gene activity. This study used massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) and microbial perturbations to understand cis-regulatory elements (CREs).
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
- Microbiology
Background:
- Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are crucial for controlling gene expression.
- The influence of microbial metabolites on CRE activity in the liver is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional activity of CREs in response to microbial metabolites.
- To establish a direct link between microbial factors and gene regulation in the liver.
Main Methods:
- Utilized massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) to assess CRE activity on a large scale.
- Incorporated microbial perturbation experiments to mimic in vivo conditions.
- Combined genomic and metabolomic approaches to analyze regulatory DNA sequences.
Main Results:
- Identified specific cis-regulatory elements (CREs) whose activity is modulated by microbial metabolites.
- Demonstrated a direct functional connection between microbial metabolites and hepatic transcription factors.
- Uncovered novel regulatory mechanisms influenced by the gut microbiome.
Conclusions:
- Microbial metabolites directly impact the activity of cis-regulatory elements (CREs) in the liver.
- This interaction provides a new layer of understanding for host-microbe metabolic crosstalk.
- The findings open avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting the microbiome to influence liver gene expression.
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