Heritable Change Caused by Transient Transcription Errors

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003595
• Publication Date: 2013-06-27T16:56:54Z
• Authors: Alasdair J. E. Go...; Dominik Satory; Jennifer A. Halliday; Christophe Herman
• Keywords: Transcription; Reprogramming

Transmission of cellular identity relies on the faithful transfer information from mother to daughter cell. This process includes accurate replication DNA, but also correct propagation regulatory programs responsible for identity. Errors in DNA (mutations) and protein conformation (prions) can trigger stable phenotypic changes cause human disease, yet ability transient transcriptional errors produce heritable change ('epimutations') remains an open question. Here, we demonstrate that made specifically mRNA encoding a transcription factor promote by reprogramming network, without altering DNA. We have harnessed classical bistable switch lac operon, memory-module, capture consequences living Escherichia coli cells. engineered error-prone sequence (A9 run) gene repressor show this 'slippery' directly increases epigenetic switching, not mutation cell population. Therefore, one altered transcript within multi-generational series many error-free transcripts long-term consequences. Thus, like mutations, epimutations instigate increase diversity, which drives both evolution disease.