Zhang Xu, Richards Eric J, Borevitz Justin O
Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2007 Apr;10(2):142-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2007.02.002. Epub 2007 Feb 14.
Divergence in gene expression is of interest because it generates molecular markers for phenotypic variation, potentially including the causes underlying this variation. Alteration of gene expression patterns can have a direct genetic (or epigenetic) basis in cis regulatory polymorphism or can be indirectly regulated by trans-acting factors. Expression mapping studies have begun to reveal the local (suggesting cis) and distant (usually trans) patterns of inheritance of genetic variation that underlies transcriptional polymorphism. The molecular basis that contributes to transcriptional divergence is, however, largely unknown especially for genes under selection that might influence phenotype. Additional genome-wide empirical data from many related organisms are required to dissect cis-, trans-, and cis x trans- dependent sources of variation in gene expression to provide a better understanding of the evolution of transcriptional regulatory networks.
基因表达的差异备受关注，因为它能产生表型变异的分子标记，潜在地包括这种变异背后的原因。基因表达模式的改变可能在顺式调控多态性方面有直接的遗传（或表观遗传）基础，或者可由反式作用因子间接调控。表达图谱研究已开始揭示构成转录多态性基础的遗传变异的局部（提示顺式）和远距离（通常为反式）遗传模式。然而，导致转录差异的分子基础在很大程度上尚不清楚，尤其是对于可能影响表型的受选择基因。需要来自许多相关生物体的更多全基因组实证数据，以剖析基因表达中顺式、反式以及顺式×反式依赖的变异来源，从而更好地理解转录调控网络的进化。
