Blurring cis and trans in gene regulation.
In this issue of Cell, Axel and colleagues (Lomvardas et al., 2006) report that a single enhancer of an odorant receptor (OR) gene cluster interacts with multiple OR gene promoters on different chromosomes. This study suggests a mechanism that allows olfactory sensory neurons to choose randomly and express only one out of more than 1000 OR genes.
Savarese
Fabio
F
Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology, 79108 Freiburg, Germany.
Grosschedl
Rudolf
R
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008957:Models, Genetic; D005810:Multigene Family; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000378:metabolism; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D004247:DNA