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AAT Bioquest

Are enhancers necessary for transcription?

Posted March 1, 2023


Answer

Enhancers can help increase transcription of genes but they are not necessary for transcription. Enhancers are short regions of DNA found in eukaryotes that can be bound by activators, increasing the likelihood that a particular gene will be transcribed. But they are not necessarily in close proximity to the genes they enhance and are not an essential requirement for transcription.

Additional resources

Enhancers: five essential questions

DNA and RNA Quantitation