Evolution of Cis-Regulatory Modules
Darwin has proposed that natural selection operates on small inheritable variations between individuals and thus changes in evolution should be gradual.Recently more and more attention has been drawn to the regulatory sequences for their potential contribution to phenotypic variation and adaptation.Features of cis-regulatory variations make them suitable to produce a continuum of gradual changes in the phenotype.In this essay we reviewed current knowledge of Cis-Regulatory Module (CRM)s function and evolution.While functional divergence of CRM and co-evolution with the trans-factors surely occur,we focused on a set of well studied developmental genes whose expression patterns tend to be well conserved across relatively long evolutionary time.However sequences underling these CRM show dramatic divergence,both in spacing sequences as well as known Transcription Factor Binding Sites (TFBS).We discussed specific properties of CRM related to its evolutionary dynamics.Then we focused on the population genetics details,attempting to investigate the type of evolutionary forces and the strength involved in the process.Finally we attempted to reconcile both conservation and evolution of CRM function and discussed remaining challenges in this field,pointing out directions for future studies.
Cis-Regulatory Module transcription factor phenotypic evolution even-skipped genes transgenic expression
Bin He Martin Kreitman
Department of Ecology and Evolution,The University of Chicago,Chicago,Illinois,USA
国际会议
The Darwin 200 Beijing International Conference (纪念达尔文诞辰200周年国际学术会议)
北京
英文
134-148
2009-10-24（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）