title: Core promoter factor TAF9B regulates neuronal gene expression.
abstract: Emerging evidence points to an unexpected diversification of core promoter recognition complexes that serve as important regulators of cell-type specific gene transcription. Here, we report that the orphan TBP-associated factor TAF9B is selectively up-regulated upon in vitro motor neuron differentiation, and is required for the transcriptional induction of specific neuronal genes, while dispensable for global gene expression in murine ES cells. TAF9B binds to both promoters and distal enhancers of neuronal genes, partially co-localizing at binding sites of OLIG2, a key activator of motor neuron differentiation. Surprisingly, in this neuronal context TAF9B becomes preferentially associated with PCAF rather than the canonical TFIID complex. Analysis of dissected spinal column from Taf9b KO mice confirmed that TAF9B also regulates neuronal gene transcription in vivo. Our findings suggest that alternative core promoter complexes may provide a key mechanism to lock in and maintain specific transcriptional programs in terminally differentiated cell types.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02559.001.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States CIRM Center of Excellence, Li Ka Shing Center For Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States fjherrera@berkeley.edu.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States CIRM Center of Excellence, Li Ka Shing Center For Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.
authors.forename: Teppei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roelink
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States CIRM Center of Excellence, Li Ka Shing Center For Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tjian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D035381:TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D035362:Transcription Factor TFIID / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050880:p300-CBP Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D000099224:p300-CBP-Associated Factor
chemical_list: D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D035381:TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors; D035362:Transcription Factor TFIID; D050880:p300-CBP Transcription Factors; D000099224:p300-CBP-Associated Factor; C000602694:TAF9b protein, mouse
keywords: TBP-associated factor TAF; motor neurons; neuronal enhancers; neuronal gene expression; stem cells; transcription factors