More than the sum of its parts

Precise regulation of gene expression is crucial for the development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. However, regulatory sequences, such as enhancers, are often located at vast genomic distances from their target gene, and it is still a mystery how enhancers communicate with their target gene. The Buecker lab has recently demonstrated how enhancers differentially located in the genome can cooperate to drive gene expression. In their study published in Molecular Cell, the researchers used a novel synthetic platform to reveal how weak and strong enhancers work together to amplify gene expression.