The Evolution of Epigenetic Regulators CTCF and BORIS in Amniotes
Author Information
Author(s): Timothy A. Hore, Janine E. Deakin, Jennifer A. Marshall Graves, Anne C. Ferguson-Smith
Primary Institution: ARC Centre for Kangaroo Genomics, Research School of Biological Sciences, The Australian National University
Hypothesis
CTCF and BORIS have evolved specialized functions along with the evolution of genomic imprinting.
Conclusion
The study found that BORIS evolved much earlier than previously thought and has specialized functions in different vertebrate groups.
Supporting Evidence
- CTCF is essential for life and plays a role in gene expression regulation.
- BORIS was found to have a testis-specific expression pattern in mammals.
- CTCF and BORIS show mutually exclusive expression in humans and mice.
- Orthologues of BORIS were discovered in reptiles, indicating an earlier evolution than previously thought.
Takeaway
Scientists studied two important genes, CTCF and BORIS, to see how they changed over time in different animals. They found that these genes help control how genes are turned on and off, especially in relation to reproduction.
Methodology
The researchers used reverse-transcriptase PCR and quantitative PCR to analyze the expression of CTCF and BORIS in various vertebrate species.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on a limited number of species and may not represent all vertebrates.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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