Dual functionality of cis -regulatory elements as developmental enhancers and Polycomb response elements

Developmental gene expression is tightly regulated through enhancer elements, which initiate dynamic spatio-temporal expression, and Polycomb response elements (PREs), which maintain stable gene silencing. These two -regulatory functions are thought to operate through distinct dedicated elements. By...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Genes & development 2017-03, Vol.31 (6), p.590-602
Main Authors: Erceg, Jelena, Pakozdi, Tibor, Marco-Ferreres, Raquel, Ghavi-Helm, Yad, Girardot, Charles, Bracken, Adrian P, Furlong, Eileen E M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Drosophila
Drosophila - embryology
Drosophila - genetics
Drosophila - metabolism
Drosophila Proteins - metabolism
Embryonic Development - genetics
Enhancer Elements, Genetic
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Life Sciences
Polycomb-Group Proteins - metabolism
Research Paper
Response Elements
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Summary:Developmental gene expression is tightly regulated through enhancer elements, which initiate dynamic spatio-temporal expression, and Polycomb response elements (PREs), which maintain stable gene silencing. These two -regulatory functions are thought to operate through distinct dedicated elements. By examining the occupancy of the pleiohomeotic repressive complex (PhoRC) during embryogenesis, we revealed extensive co-occupancy at developmental enhancers. Using an established in vivo assay for PRE activity, we demonstrated that a subset of characterized developmental enhancers can function as PREs, silencing transcription in a Polycomb-dependent manner. Conversely, some classic PREs can function as developmental enhancers in vivo, activating spatio-temporal expression. This study therefore uncovers elements with dual function: activating transcription in some cells (enhancers) while stably maintaining transcriptional silencing in others (PREs). Given that enhancers initiate spatio-temporal gene expression, reuse of the same elements by the Polycomb group (PcG) system may help fine-tune gene expression and ensure the timely maintenance of cell identities.
ISSN:0890-9369
1549-5477
DOI:10.1101/gad.292870.116