ZNF91 deletion in human embryonic stem cells leads to ectopic activation of SVA retrotransposons and up-regulation of KRAB zinc finger gene clusters.

ABSTRACT: Transposable element (TE) invasions have shaped vertebrate genomes over the course of evolution. They have contributed an extra layer of species-specific gene regulation by providing novel transcription factor binding sites. In humans, SINE-VNTR-Alu (SVA) elements are one of three still active TE families; approximately 2800 SVA insertions exist in the human genome, half of which are human-specific. TEs are often silenced by KRAB zinc finger (KZNF) proteins recruiting corepressor proteins that establish a repressive chromatin state. A number of KZNFs have been reported to bind SVAs, but their individual contribution to repressing SVAs and their roles in suppressing SVA-mediated gene-regulatory effects remains elusive. We analyzed the genome-wide binding profile for ZNF91 in human ce

SUBMITTER: Haring NL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8015857 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature