Cloudy with a Chance of Insights: Context Dependent Gene Regulation and Implications for Evolutionary Studies

• Main Authors: Elisa Buchberger, Micael Reis, Ting-Hsuan Lu, Nico Posnien
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-06-01
• Series: Genes
• Subjects: gene expression; gene regulation; evolution; allele specific expression; expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL); RNAseq; ChIPseq; chromatin; Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing (ATACseq); genotype–phenotype map
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/10/7/492

Research in various fields of evolutionary biology has shown that divergence in gene expression is a key driver for phenotypic evolution. An exceptional contribution of <i>cis</i>-regulatory divergence has been found to contribute to morphological diversification. In the light of these findings, the analysis of genome-wide expression data has become one of the central tools to link genotype and phenotype information on a more mechanistic level. However, in many studies, especially if general conclusions are drawn from such data, a key feature of gene regulation is often neglected. With our article, we want to raise awareness that gene regulation and thus gene expression is highly context dependent. Genes show tissue- and stage-specific expression. We argue that the regulatory context must be considered in comparative expression studies.