Bat Accelerated Regions Identify a Bat Forelimb Specific Enhancer in the HoxD Locus.

ABSTRACT: The molecular events leading to the development of the bat wing remain largely unknown, and are thought to be caused, in part, by changes in gene expression during limb development. These expression changes could be instigated by variations in gene regulatory enhancers. Here, we used a comparative genomics approach to identify regions that evolved rapidly in the bat ancestor, but are highly conserved in other vertebrates. We discovered 166 bat accelerated regions (BARs) that overlap H3K27ac and p300 ChIP-seq peaks in developing mouse limbs. Using a mouse enhancer assay, we show that five Myotis lucifugus BARs drive gene expression in the developing mouse limb, with the majority showing differential enhancer activity compared to the mouse orthologous BAR sequences. These include BAR116, whi

SUBMITTER: Booker BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4809552 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature