Year: 2017
Type: preprint
Abstract: Enhancers are transcription factor platforms that also bind RNA polymerase II and generate enhancer RNAs (eRNA). Although eRNAs have been suggested as predictors of enhancer activities and possibly key components facilitating transcription, there is little genetic evidence to support this. We address the biology of eRNAs i n vivo and investigate eRNA patterns, expression levels and possible functions within a mammary-specific super-enhancer that is composed of three units with distinct transcriptional capacities. We show that eRNA levels do not correspond with the activities of their respective enhancer units. However, changes in eRNA expression upon deletion of individual enhancer units reflect the change in overall super-enhancer activity. These data provide genetic evidence that eRNA levels are not a reliable readout of individual enhancers, but they predict super-enhancer activity in the absence of constituent elements.
DOI: 10.1101/174953
Authors: Chaochen Wang, Tyler Kuhns, Christian Reinbold, Michaela Willi, Lothar Hennighausen
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2742808767