Microarrays and Transcription Networks

While every cell of an organism has an identical genomic content, extremely complex networks exist to tailor the genomic output to the needs of that cell
While every cell of an organism has an identical genomic content, extremely complex networks exist to tailor the genomic output to the needs of that cell. This program of gene expression is different for every cell type and stage of development. In addition, the cell can respond to its environment by modulating its gene expression program in a fairly dramatic manner. For many decades gene transcription has been investigated in systems from bacteria to mammalian cells and along the way many landmark findings have set new paradigms that often apply across wide evolutionary distances. Studying individual genes, however, especially in mammalian systems has been a painstaking business and although we know the transcription activators and other complexes that control specific genes in minute deta