Regulation of gene expression

About: Regulation of gene expression is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 85456 publications have been published within this topic receiving 5832845 citations. The topic is also known as: GO:0010468 & gene expression regulation.

Gene expression during the life cycle of Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract: Molecular genetic studies of Drosophila melanogaster have led to profound advances in understanding the regulation of development. Here we report gene expression patterns for nearly one-third of all Drosophila genes during a complete time course of development. Mutations that eliminate eye or germline tissue were used to further analyze tissue-specific gene expression programs. These studies define major characteristics of the transcriptional programs that underlie the life cycle, compare development in males and females, and show that large-scale gene expression data collected from whole animals can be used to identify genes expressed in particular tissues and organs or genes involved in specific biological and biochemical processes.

Specific interference with gene function by double-stranded RNA in early mouse development

Abstract: The use of double-stranded (ds) RNA is a powerful way of interfering with gene expression in a range of organisms, but doubts have been raised about whether it could be successful in mammals. Here, we show that dsRNA is effective as a specific inhibitor of the function of three genes in the mouse, namely maternally expressed c-mos in the oocyte and zygotically expressed E-cadherin or a GFP transgene in the preimplantation embryo. The phenotypes observed are the same as those reported for null mutants of the endogenous genes. These findings offer the opportunity to study development and gene regulation in normal and diseased cells.

Argonaute proteins: functional insights and emerging roles

Abstract: Small-RNA-guided gene regulation has emerged as one of the fundamental principles in cell function, and the major protein players in this process are members of the Argonaute protein family. Argonaute proteins are highly specialized binding modules that accommodate the small RNA component - such as microRNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) or PIWI-associated RNAs (piRNAs) - and coordinate downstream gene-silencing events by interacting with other protein factors. Recent work has made progress in our understanding of classical Argonaute-mediated gene-silencing principles, such as the effects on mRNA translation and decay, but has also implicated Argonaute proteins in several other cellular processes, such as transcriptional regulation and splicing.

Altered Histone Acetylation Is Associated with Age-Dependent Memory Impairment in Mice

Abstract: As the human life span increases, the number of people suffering from cognitive decline is rising dramatically. The mechanisms underlying age-associated memory impairment are, however, not understood. Here we show that memory disturbances in the aging brain of the mouse are associated with altered hippocampal chromatin plasticity. During learning, aged mice display a specific deregulation of histone H4 lysine 12 (H4K12) acetylation and fail to initiate a hippocampal gene expression program associated with memory consolidation. Restoration of physiological H4K12 acetylation reinstates the expression of learning-induced genes and leads to the recovery of cognitive abilities. Our data suggest that deregulated H4K12 acetylation may represent an early biomarker of an impaired genome-environment interaction in the aging mouse brain.

Sp1- and Krüppel-like transcription factors

Abstract: Sp1-like proteins and Kruppel-like factors (KLFs) are highly related zinc-finger proteins that are important components of the eukaryotic cellular transcriptional machinery. By regulating the expression of a large number of genes that have GC-rich promoters, Sp1-like/KLF transcription regulators may take part in virtually all facets of cellular function, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, and neoplastic transformation. Individual members of the Sp1-like/KLF family can function as activators or repressors depending on which promoter they bind and the coregulators with which they interact. A long-standing research aim has been to define the mechanisms by which Sp1-like factors and KLFs regulate gene expression and cellular function in a cell- and promoter-specific manner. Most members of this family have been identified in mammals, with at least 21 Sp1-like/KLF proteins encoded in the human genome, and members are also found in frogs, worms and flies. Sp1-like/KLF proteins have highly conserved carboxy-terminal zinc-finger domains that function in DNA binding. The amino terminus, containing the transcription activation domain, can vary significantly between family members.