Epigenetic modifications are associated with inter-species gene expression variation in primates.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Changes in gene regulation have long been thought to play an important role in evolution and speciation, especially in primates. Over the past decade, comparative genomic studies have revealed extensive inter-species differences in gene expression levels, yet we know much less about the extent to which regulatory mechanisms differ between species.

Results

To begin addressing this gap, we perform a comparative epigenetic study in primate lymphoblastoid cell lines, to query the contribution of RNA polymerase II and four histone modifications, H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K27ac, and H3K27me3, to inter-species variation in gene expression levels. We find that inter-species differences in mark enrichment near transcription start sites are significantly more often associated wit

SUBMITTER: Zhou X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4290387 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature