Slow, stochastic transgene repression with properties of a timer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

When gene expression varies unpredictably between genetically identical organisms, this is sometimes ascribed as stochastic. With the prevalence of retroviral vectors, stochastic repression is often observed and can complicate the interpretation of outcomes. But it may also faithfully reflect characteristics of sites in the genome.

Results

We created and identified several cell clones in which, within a given cell, retroviral transcription of a transgene was repressed heritably and essentially irreversibly. This repression was relatively slow; total repression in all cells took months. We observed the dynamics of repression and found that they were ergodic, that is, tending with a probability to a final state independent of previous conditions. Different positions

SUBMITTER: Wang CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1779533 | biostudies-literature | 2006

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature