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PMID: 8790328 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Review

Modular cis-regulatory organization of developmentally expressed genes: two genes transcribed territorially in the sea urchin embryo, and additional examples.

Kirchhamer CV, Yuh CH, Davidson EH

Abstract

The cis-regulatory systems that control developmental expression of two sea urchin genes have been subjected to detailed functional analysis. Both systems are modular in organization: specific, separable fragments of the cis-regulatory DNA each containing multiple transcription factor target sites execute particular regulatory subfunctions when associated with reporter genes and introduced into the embryo. The studies summarized here were carried out on the CyIIIa gene, expressed in the embryonic aboral ectoderm and on the Endo16 gene, expressed in the embryonic vegetal plate, archenteron, and then midgut. The regulatory systems of both genes include modules that control particular aspects of temporal and spatial expression, and in both the territorial boundaries of expression depend on a combination of negative and positive functions. In both genes different regulatory modules control early and late embryonic expression. Modular cis-regulatory organization is widespread in developmentally regulated genes, and we present a tabular summary that includes many examples from mouse and Drosophila. We regard cis-regulatory modules as units of developmental transcription control, and also of evolution, in the assembly of transcription control systems.

MeSH Terms
Actins/genetics Animals Base Sequence Cell Adhesion Molecules/genetics DNA Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental Mice Molecular Sequence Data Proteins/genetics Restriction Mapping Sea Urchins/embryology,genetics Transcription, Genetic
Chemicals
Actins Cell Adhesion Molecules Proteins endo16 protein, sea urchin DNA
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Kirchhamer C V
Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125, USA.
Yuh C H
Davidson E H
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
0027-8424
Published
1996-09-03
Pages
9322-8
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC38426
Subset
IM
Grants
NICHD NIH HHS · HD-05753 · United States
Analysis Services
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