Chromatin activity identifies differential gene regulation across human ancestries.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Current evidence suggests that cis-regulatory elements controlling gene expression may be the predominant target of natural selection in humans and other species. Detecting selection acting on these elements is critical to understanding evolution but remains challenging because we do not know which mutations will affect gene regulation.

Results

To address this, we devise an approach to search for lineage-specific selection on three critical steps in transcriptional regulation: chromatin activity, transcription factor binding, and chromosomal looping. Applying this approach to lymphoblastoid cells from 831 individuals of either European or African descent, we find strong signals of differential chromatin activity linked to gene expression differences between ancest

SUBMITTER: Pettie KP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10789071 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature