Differential Gene Expression in the Human Brain Is Associated with Conserved, but Not Accelerated, Noncoding Sequences.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies have found that genes which are differentially expressed within the developing human brain disproportionately neighbor conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs) that have an elevated substitution rate in humans and in other species. One explanation for this general association of differential expression with accelerated CNSs is that genes with pre-existing patterns of differential expression have been preferentially targeted by species-specific regulatory changes. Here we provide support for an alternative explanation: genes that neighbor a greater number of CNSs have a higher probability of differential expression and a higher probability of neighboring a CNS with lineage-specific acceleration. Thus, neighboring an accelerated element from any species signals that a gene likel

SUBMITTER: Meyer KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5400397 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature