Super enhancers—Functional cores under the 3D genome

• Published in: Cell proliferation Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. e12970 - n/a
• Main Authors: Zhang, Juqing, Yue, Wei, Zhou, Yaqi, Liao, Mingzhi, Chen, Xingqi, Hua, Jinlian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.02.2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: 3D genome; Animals; Binding sites; biological processes; Chromatin; Chromatin - genetics; Chromatin - metabolism; Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA Methylation; Enhancer Elements, Genetic - genetics; Enhancers; Epigenetics; Gene expression; Gene loci; Gene regulation; Genetic engineering; Genome; Genomes; Humans; Mammals; p300-CBP Transcription Factors - metabolism; phase‐ phase‐separated condensates; Proteins; Review; Reviews; separated condensates; Stem cells; super enhancer; Transcription activation; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - metabolism; transcription model; Transcriptional Activation; 3D genome; phase-separated condensates; biological processes; transcription model; super enhancer
• ISSN: 0960-7722; 1365-2184; 1365-2184
• DOI: 10.1111/cpr.12970

Complex biochemical reactions take place in the nucleus all the time. Transcription machines must follow the rules. The chromatin state, especially the three‐dimensional structure of the genome, plays an important role in gene regulation and expression. The super enhancers are important for defining cell identity in mammalian developmental processes and human diseases. It has been shown that the major components of transcriptional activation complexes are recruited by super enhancer to form phase‐separated condensates. We summarize the current knowledge about super enhancer in the 3D genome. Furthermore, a new related transcriptional regulation model from super enhancer is outlined to explain its role in the mammalian cell progress. As a regulatory element on the genome, the formation of super enhancers depends on specific chromatin states and spatial structures. A large number of regulatory molecules gather in the chromatin regions where the super enhancers are located. The molecules in these regions are very dense, forming huge transcriptional activation complexes, which interact with each other to construct phase‐separated condensates. Super enhancer‐mediated transcriptional activation depends on spatial proximity rather than a rigid bridge. There are molecular exchanges between the super enhancer‐associated condensate and the surroundings. Inactive Pol II is recruited and phosphorylated Pol II is excreted. Therefore, we propose a super enhancer‐mediated transcription mode to pave the way for future research.