Prediction of highly expressed genes in microbes based on chromatin accessibility.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It is well known that gene expression is dependent on chromatin structure in eukaryotes and it is likely that chromatin can play a role in bacterial gene expression as well. Here, we use a nucleosomal position preference measure of anisotropic DNA flexibility to predict highly expressed genes in microbial genomes. We compare these predictions with those based on codon adaptation index (CAI) values, and also with experimental data for 6 different microbial genomes, with a particular interest in experimental data from Escherichia coli. Moreover, position preference is examined further in 328 sequenced microbial genomes.

Results

We find that absolute gene expression levels are correlated with the position preference in many microbial genomes. It is postulated that in

SUBMITTER: Willenbrock H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1805505 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature