Gene expression divergence is coupled to evolution of DNA structure in coding regions.

ABSTRACT: Sequence changes in coding region and regulatory region of the gene itself (cis) determine most of gene expression divergence between closely related species. But gene expression divergence between yeast species is not correlated with evolution of primary nucleotide sequence. This indicates that other factors in cis direct gene expression divergence. Here, we studied the contribution of DNA three-dimensional structural evolution as cis to gene expression divergence. We found that the evolution of DNA structure in coding regions and gene expression divergence are correlated in yeast. Similar result was also observed between Drosophila species. DNA structure is associated with the binding of chromatin remodelers and histone modifiers to DNA sequences in coding regions, which influence RNA po

SUBMITTER: Dai Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3219629 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature