How Is Gene Regulation Affected By Enhancer Location?

Gene regulation refers to the cellular control of both the amount and timing related to the appearance of a gene's functional product. Enhancers is the term given to sites positioned on the DNA helix which are bound to by means of activators so as to loop the DNA, thus bringing about a particular promoter to the initiation complex.

It is not necessary that an enhancer has to be especially close to the genes which it acts on. In fact, it need not even be situated on the very same chromosome.

In fact, relative to the gene which it regulates, an enhancer may be situated either upstream or downstream. It is not necessary for an enhancer to bind near the transcription initiation site in order to affect its transcription.