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Ultraconservation identifies a small subset of extremely constrained developmental enhancers.

ABSTRACT: Extended perfect human-rodent sequence identity of at least 200 base pairs (ultraconservation) is potentially indicative of evolutionary or functional uniqueness. We used a transgenic mouse assay to compare the embryonic enhancer activity of 231 noncoding ultraconserved human genome regions with that of 206 extremely conserved regions lacking ultraconservation. Developmental enhancers were equally prevalent in both populations, suggesting instead that ultraconservation identifies a small, functionally indistinct subset of similarly constrained cis-regulatory elements.

SUBMITTER: Visel A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2647775 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Ultraconservation identifies a small subset of extremely constrained developmental enhancers.

Visel Axel A Prabhakar Shyam S Akiyama Jennifer A JA Shoukry Malak M Lewis Keith D KD Holt Amy A Plajzer-Frick Ingrid I Afzal Veena V Rubin Edward M EM Pennacchio Len A LA

Nature genetics 20080106 2

Extended perfect human-rodent sequence identity of at least 200 base pairs (ultraconservation) is potentially indicative of evolutionary or functional uniqueness. We used a transgenic mouse assay to compare the embryonic enhancer activity of 231 noncoding ultraconserved human genome regions with that of 206 extremely conserved regions lacking ultraconservation. Developmental enhancers were equally prevalent in both populations, suggesting instead that ultraconservation identifies a small, functi ...[more]

PMID: 18176564

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