Fig. 5.

Representation of putative models by which cohesins may regulate transcription. a Chromosome-bound cohesin complexes block the transcriptional activation signals from a distal enhancer element, repressing gene expression. b Dissociation of cohesin complexes from chromatin allows the transmission of positive signals from distal elements, activating transcription. c Isolated cohesin subunits may act as transcriptional co-activators by interacting with the transcription initiation complex or with other co-activators