by University of Tokyo Graphical abstract. Credit: Nucleic Acids Research (2023). DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1164Technological advancements have enabled scientists to comprehensively explore genetic control elements, unraveling the complexities of gene activation mechanisms in our genetic code. New evidence challenges the simplistic view that cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are mere on/off switches for genes, emphasizing their ability to exhibit complex...