Insulator

For electrical insulator, see Insulator (Electrical).

For other uses, see insulation.

An insulator is a genetic boundary element that plays two distinct roles in gene expression, either as an enhancer-blocking element, or more rarely as a barrier against condensed chromatin proteins spreading onto active chromatin. The need for them arises where two adjacent genes on a chromosome have very different transcription patterns, and it is critical that the inducing or repressing mechanisms of one do not interfere with the neighbouring gene. Burgess-Beusse, B, et al. (Dec 2002). "The insulation of genes from external enhancers and silencing chromatin". Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 9 (Suppl 4): 16433-16437. doi:10.1073/pnas.162342499. 

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