Ever-Changing Landscapes: Transcriptional Enhancers in Development and Evolution

Hannah K Long; Sara L Prescott; Joanna Wysocka

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2016.09.018

Ever-Changing Landscapes: Transcriptional Enhancers in Development and Evolution

Cell. 2016 Nov 17;167(5):1170-1187. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.09.018.

Authors

Hannah K Long¹, Sara L Prescott², Joanna Wysocka³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
² Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
³ Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address: wysocka@stanford.edu.

Abstract

A class of cis-regulatory elements, called enhancers, play a central role in orchestrating spatiotemporally precise gene-expression programs during development. Consequently, divergence in enhancer sequence and activity is thought to be an important mediator of inter- and intra-species phenotypic variation. Here, we give an overview of emerging principles of enhancer function, current models of enhancer architecture, genomic substrates from which enhancers emerge during evolution, and the influence of three-dimensional genome organization on long-range gene regulation. We discuss intricate relationships between distinct elements within complex regulatory landscapes and consider their potential impact on specificity and robustness of transcriptional regulation.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Blood / metabolism
Blood Cells / metabolism
Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
Epigenomics
Evolution, Molecular*
Genome-Wide Association Study*
Hematopoiesis
Humans
Quantitative Trait Loci
Transcription, Genetic*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding