Insulator (genetics)
Genetic boundary element that blocks the interaction between enhancers and promoters / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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An insulator is a type of cis-regulatory element known as a long-range regulatory element. Found in multicellular eukaryotes and working over distances from the promoter element of the target gene, an insulator is typically 300 bp to 2000 bp in length.[1] Insulators contain clustered binding sites for sequence specific DNA-binding proteins[1] and mediate intra- and inter-chromosomal interactions.[2]
Insulators function either as an enhancer-blocker or a barrier, or both. The mechanisms by which an insulator performs these two functions include loop formation and nucleosome modifications.[3][4] There are many examples of insulators, including the CTCF insulator, the gypsy insulator, and the β-globin locus. The CTCF insulator is especially important in vertebrates, while the gypsy insulator is implicated in Drosophila. The β-globin locus was first studied in chicken and then in humans for its insulator activity, both of which utilize CTCF.[5]
The genetic implications of insulators lie in their involvement in a mechanism of imprinting and their ability to regulate transcription. Mutations to insulators are linked to cancer as a result of cell cycle disregulation, tumourigenesis, and silencing of growth suppressors.