CNEReg Interprets Ruminant-specific Conserved Non-coding Elements by Developmental Gene Regulatory Network

Xiangyu Pan, Zhaoxia Ma, Xinqi Sun, Hui Li, Tingting Zhang, Chen Zhao, Nini Wang, Rasmus Heller, Wing Hung Wong, Wen Wang, Yu Jiang, Yong Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

The genetic information coded in DNA leads to trait innovation via a gene regulatory network (GRN) in development. Here, we developed a conserved non-coding element interpretation method to integrate multi-omics data into gene regulatory network (CNEReg) to investigate the ruminant multi-chambered stomach innovation. We generated paired expression and chromatin accessibility data during rumen and esophagus development in sheep, and revealed 1601 active ruminant-specific conserved non-coding elements (active-RSCNEs). To interpret the function of these active-RSCNEs, we defined toolkit transcription factors (TTFs) and modeled their regulation on rumen-specific genes via batteries of active-RSCNEs during development. Our developmental GRN revealed 18 TTFs and 313 active-RSCNEs regulating 7 rumen functional modules. Notably, 6 TTFs (OTX1, SOX21, HOXC8, SOX2, TP63, and PPARG), as well as 16 active-RSCNEs, functionally distinguished the rumen from the esophagus. Our study provides a systematic approach to understanding how gene regulation evolves and shapes complex traits by putting evo-devo concepts into practice with developmental multi-omics data.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)632-648
Number of pages17
JournalGenomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics
Volume21
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2023

Keywords

  • Conserved non-coding element
  • Gene regulatory network
  • Ruminant
  • Toolkit transcription factor
  • Trait innovation

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