Coexpression of linked genes in Mammalian genomes is generally disadvantageous.

ABSTRACT: Similarity in gene expression pattern between closely linked genes is known in several eukaryotes. Two models have been proposed to explain the presence of such coexpression patterns. The adaptive model assumes that coexpression is advantageous and is established by relocation of initially unlinked but coexpressed genes, whereas the neutral model asserts that coexpression is a type of leaky expression due to similar expressional environments of linked genes, but is neither advantageous nor detrimental. However, these models are incompatible with several empirical observations. Here, we propose that coexpression of linked genes is a form of transcriptional interference that is disadvantageous to the organism. We show that even distantly linked genes that are tens of megabases away exhibit s

SUBMITTER: Liao BY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2734128 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature