The degree of enhancer or promoter activity is reflected by the levels and directionality of eRNA transcription.

ABSTRACT: Gene expression is regulated by promoters, which initiate transcription, and enhancers, which control their temporal and spatial activity. However, the discovery that mammalian enhancers also initiate transcription questions the inherent differences between enhancers and promoters. Here, we investigate the transcriptional properties of enhancers during Drosophila embryogenesis using characterized developmental enhancers. We show that while the timing of enhancer transcription is generally correlated with enhancer activity, the levels and directionality of transcription are highly varied among active enhancers. To assess how this impacts function, we developed a dual transgenic assay to simultaneously measure enhancer and promoter activities from a single element in the same embryo.

SUBMITTER: Mikhaylichenko O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5828394 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature