* while transcription and translation are tightly coupled in bacteria, in eukaryotes these processes are spatially and temporarily separated and thus independently regulated
* gene expression is regulated at many steps in eukaryotes, including DNA packaging into chromatin, transcription, RNA processing, RNA export from the nucleus, RNA stability, RNA localization, translation, and posttranslational modifications
* chromatin remodeling, as well as modifications to DNA and histones, play important roles in regulating gene expression in eukaryotes
* eukaryotic transcription initiation requires the assembly of transcription regulatory proteins at cis-acting DNA sites known as promoters, enhancers, and silencers
* transcriptional activators and repressors influence the association of the general transcription factors into pre-initiation complexes at gene promoters, and they may influence chromatin remodeling or modifications
* the genome-wide identification of transcription factor binding sites and chromatin modifications in the human genome in a manner that is cell-type specific has proven to be a powerful tool for understanding transcriptional regulation and how it relates to disease