Get to know how enhancer regulates gene transcription

As a non-coding region of a DNA sequence with a specific transcription factor binding enhanced gene transcription, enhancer enhances the expression of the target protein gene in a long distance. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have shown through recombinant rat proteins that the mysterious non-coding RNA-enhancer RNA binds to CBP (transcription coactivator) to regulate histone acetylation, controlling gene expression and protein biosynthesis.

In cells, DNA is transcribed into RNA and used for protein biosynthesis. Most genomes are transcribed into RNA, but only a fraction of the RNA actually comes from the protein coding region of the genome. Non-coding region can't transcribe messenger RNA, but it can regulate the expression of genetic information. Although non-coding region can't encode proteins, it is indispensable for expression of genetic information.

Why are non-coding regions not being transcribed? How can their function be achieved? With these questions, Shelley Berger at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute of Epitemology and Daniel Bose, a postdoctoral fellow in her lab, are working on the regulation of gene expression in enhancers. Enhancers increase the rate of protein gene expression over a long distance, so cells can synthesize more of the desired protein molecules. The mysterious non-coding RNA, known as enhancer RNA (eRNA), is transcribed from the enhancer sequence. Although these are important for promoting gene expression, how they achieve this function is completely unknown.

Their work revealed these elusive eRNAs: CBP, an enzyme that activates enhancer transcription and binds directly to eRNAs. CBP modulates acetylation to control gene expression patterns in vivo, reducing the affinity of histones to DNA and releasing chromatin to promote transcription. This result was published in the journal Cell on January 12.

"Fundamentally, this is an important science because we show that enhancer RNA plays a key role in guiding the protein synthesis in the whole genome," Berger said. "We identified in the whole genome that enhancer RNA is the most common type of RNA that binds to CBP and that by performing this interaction, eRNAs play a key role in regulating CBP activity and gene expression." Flarebio provides you with superior recombinant proteins including recombinant ITGB5 at good prices.