Tissue-specific evolutionarily conserved regulation of gene expression

基因表达的组织特异性进化保守调控

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-04677
• 负责人: Mitchell, Jennifer
• 金额: $ 2.19万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=589945
• 关键词: Tissue; specific; evolutionarily; conserved; regulation

Virtually every cell in a multicellular organism contains the same DNA genome yet each celltype looks and functions differently to perform its required role in the organism. It is the differences in the way each gene in the genome is expressed in each cell type that accounts for these dramatic differences in cellular functions. Even though there is a wide variety in appearance between vertebrates separated by millions of years of evolution, they are fundamentally made up of similar cell-types and organs. Brain, liver and heart from different vertebrate species share more common gene expression within the same organ than between different organs within the same species. This commonality indicates that the mechanisms that regulate gene expression in each tissue are highly conserved through evolution. We lack, however, an understanding of these mechanisms and are not able to pinpoint most of the regions of the genome that are not in genes, but that are responsible for this remarkable conservation.

事实上，多细胞生物中的每个细胞都含有相同的DNA基因组，但每种细胞类型的外观和功能在生物体中发挥其所需的作用。正是基因组中每个基因在每种细胞类型中表达方式的差异，导致了细胞功能的巨大差异。尽管经过数百万年的进化，脊椎动物之间在外观上存在很大差异，但它们基本上是由相似的细胞类型和器官组成的。不同脊椎动物的大脑、肝脏和心脏在同一器官内比在同一物种的不同器官之间具有更多的共同基因表达。这一共性表明，在每个组织中调节基因表达的机制在进化过程中是高度保守的。然而，我们缺乏对这些机制的理解，也无法确定基因组中大部分不在基因中的区域，但它们负责这种显著的保护。