Graded versus ON/OFF control in quantitative gene expression and epigenetic memory - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #Gene Expression
- #Transcriptional Regulation
- #Epigenetic Memory
- The article discusses two modalities of quantitative gene expression regulation: graded (analogue) control and ON/OFF (digital) control.
- Graded control involves smoothly varying mRNA levels from each gene copy, while ON/OFF control involves some gene copies producing high mRNA levels and others producing very low levels.
- The article explores why one modality might be preferred over the other in different contexts and how these modalities are generated through transcriptional regulation.
- ON/OFF control is particularly linked to epigenetic memory, especially in memory mediated by trans-factor feedback loops and histone modifications, but not necessarily by DNA methylation.
- The regulation of Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) is used as an example, showing how graded expression and switching to ON/OFF control occur during early development and long-term cold exposure.