Enhancer RNAs predict enhancer-gene regulatory links and are critical for enhancer function in neuronal systems.

ABSTRACT: Genomic enhancer elements regulate gene expression programs important for neuronal fate and function and are implicated in brain disease states. Enhancers undergo bidirectional transcription to generate non-coding enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). However, eRNA function remains controversial. Here, we combined Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using Sequencing (ATAC-Seq) and RNA-Seq datasets from three distinct neuronal culture systems in two activity states, enabling genome-wide enhancer identification and prediction of putative enhancer-gene pairs based on correlation of transcriptional output. Notably, stimulus-dependent enhancer transcription preceded mRNA induction, and CRISPR-based activation of eRNA synthesis increased mRNA at paired genes, functionally validating enhancer-gene predic

SUBMITTER: Carullo NVN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7515708 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature