A scheduler for rhythmic gene expression.

ABSTRACT: Genetic oscillators drive precisely timed gene expression, crucial for development and physiology. Using the C. elegans molting clock as a model, we investigate how oscillators can schedule the orderly expression of thousands of genes. Single cell RNA sequencing reveals a broad peak phase dispersion in individual issues, mirrored by rhythmic changes in chromatin accessibility at thousands of regulatory elements identified by time-resolved ATAC-seq. We develop a linear model to predict chromatin dynamics based on the binding of >200 transcription factors. This identifies nine key regulators acting additively to determine the peak phase and amplitude of each regulatory element. Strikingly, these factors can also generate constitutive, non-rhythmic activity through destructive interfer

SUBMITTER: Gaidatzis D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12424674 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature