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Putting chromatin in its place: the pioneer factor N euro D 1 modulates chromatin state to drive cell fate decisions
Author(s) -
Glahs Alexander,
Zinzen Robert P
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.15252/embj.201593324
Subject(s) - biology , chromatin , microbiology and biotechnology , state (computer science) , genetics , dna binding protein , transcription factor , dna , gene , computer science , algorithm
Cell fate decisions require the deployment of distinct transcriptional programmes—how this is controlled and orchestrated is a key question from basic developmental biology to regenerative medicine. In this issue of The EMBO Journal , Pataskar and Jung et al (Pataskar et al , 2015) demonstrate how the transcription factor NeuroD1 acts genome‐wide to elicit a specific neurogenic programme, including differentiation and migration. Much of that activity is due to NeuroD1 acting as a pioneer factor. NeuroD1 is able to bind its targets within repressive chromatin and can induce a more open chromatin state amenable to cell type‐specific regulation.