title: Developmental regulation of human beta-globin gene transcription: a switch of loyalties?
abstract: Synthesis of different hemoglobin polypeptides during the early stages of human development is principally regulated by transcriptional control mechanisms that determine which of the five beta-type globin genes is expressed. The means by which this is achieved have been scrutinized for several decades, and insights have been gained from introducing segments of the human beta-globin locus into transgenic mice, and from analysis of naturally occurring mutations at the locus. I describe here a model which attempts to resolve several of the current puzzles and provides simple, testable predictions for how differential beta-globin gene transcription might be achieved during human development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3500.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D004920:Erythropoiesis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005796:Genes; D005914:Globins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D006413:Hematopoietic System / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D005914:Globins