TY - JOUR
T1 - Transcription through enhancers suppresses their activity in Drosophila
AU - Erokhin, Maksim
AU - Davydova, Anna
AU - Parshikov, Alexander
AU - Studitsky, Vasily M.
AU - Georgiev, P. G.
AU - Chetverina, Darya
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Background: Enhancer elements determine the level of target gene transcription in a tissue-specific manner, providing for individual patterns of gene expression in different cells. Knowledge of the mechanisms controlling enhancer action is crucial for understanding global regulation of transcription. In particular, enhancers are often localized within transcribed regions of the genome. A number of experiments suggest that transcription can have both positive and negative effects on regulatory elements. In this study, we performed direct tests for the effect of transcription on enhancer activity. Results: Using a transgenic reporter system, we investigated the relationship between the presence of pass-through transcription and the activity of Drosophila enhancers controlling the expression of the white and yellow genes. The results show that transcription from different promoters affects the activity of enhancers, counteracting their ability to activate the target genes. As expected, the presence of a transcriptional terminator between the inhibiting promoter and the affected enhancer strongly reduces the suppression. Moreover, transcription leads to dislodging of the Zeste protein that is responsible for the enhancer-dependent regulation of the white gene, suggesting a 'transcription interference' mechanism for this regulation. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a role for pass-through transcription in negative regulation of enhancer activity.
AB - Background: Enhancer elements determine the level of target gene transcription in a tissue-specific manner, providing for individual patterns of gene expression in different cells. Knowledge of the mechanisms controlling enhancer action is crucial for understanding global regulation of transcription. In particular, enhancers are often localized within transcribed regions of the genome. A number of experiments suggest that transcription can have both positive and negative effects on regulatory elements. In this study, we performed direct tests for the effect of transcription on enhancer activity. Results: Using a transgenic reporter system, we investigated the relationship between the presence of pass-through transcription and the activity of Drosophila enhancers controlling the expression of the white and yellow genes. The results show that transcription from different promoters affects the activity of enhancers, counteracting their ability to activate the target genes. As expected, the presence of a transcriptional terminator between the inhibiting promoter and the affected enhancer strongly reduces the suppression. Moreover, transcription leads to dislodging of the Zeste protein that is responsible for the enhancer-dependent regulation of the white gene, suggesting a 'transcription interference' mechanism for this regulation. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a role for pass-through transcription in negative regulation of enhancer activity.
KW - Chromatin enhancer
KW - Enhancer suppression
KW - Pass-through transcription
KW - Transcription interference
KW - Transcription regulation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84884962472&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/1756-8935-6-31
DO - 10.1186/1756-8935-6-31
M3 - Article
C2 - 24279291
SN - 1756-8935
VL - 6
SP - 31
JO - Epigenetics and Chromatin
JF - Epigenetics and Chromatin
IS - 1
M1 - 31
ER -