The ENCODE project assembled maps of regulatory and biochemical activity across many cell types and tissues, extending the study of the genome beyond protein-coding genes.
These maps help researchers investigate promoters, enhancers, chromatin states and transcription-factor binding. A biochemical signal suggests activity in a context; it does not by itself establish a disease mechanism.
Functional genomics is strongest when multiple assays, cell contexts and perturbation experiments converge. The project’s data are a starting point for questions about regulation and noncoding variation.
STKEY note: the original consortium paper and portal remain the authoritative sources.