Project description:The mammalian telencephalon contains a tremendous diversity of GABAergic projection neuron and interneuron types, that originate in a germinal zone of the embryonic basal ganglia. How genetic information in this transient structure is transformed into different cell types is not yet fully understood. Using a combination of in vivo lineage tracing, CRISPR perturbation and ChIP-seq in mice, we found that the transcription factor MEIS2 favors the development of projection neurons through genomic binding sites in regulatory enhancers of projection neuron specific genes. MEIS2 requires the presence of the homeodomain transcription factor DLX5 to direct its functional activity towards these sites. In interneurons, the activation of projection neuron specific enhancers by MEIS2 and DLX5 is repressed by the transcription factor LHX6. When MEIS2 carries a mutation associated with intellectual disability in humans, it is less effective at activating enhancers involved in projection neuron development. This suggests that GABAergic differentiation may be impaired in patients carrying this mutation. Our research has uncovered a mechanism by which the selective activation of enhancers plays a crucial role in the establishment of neuronal identity, as well as in potential pathological mechanisms
Project description:The mammalian telencephalon contains distinct GABAergic projection neuron and interneuron types, originating in the germinal zone of the embryonic basal ganglia. How genetic information in the germinal zone determines cell types is unclear. Here we use a combination of in vivo CRISPR perturbation, lineage tracing and ChIP-sequencing analyses and show that the transcription factor MEIS2 favors the development of projection neurons by binding enhancer regions in projection-neuron-specific genes during mouse embryonic development. MEIS2 requires the presence of the homeodomain transcription factor DLX5 to direct its functional activity toward the appropriate binding sites. In interneuron precursors, the transcription factor LHX6 represses the MEIS2-DLX5-dependent activation of projection-neuron-specific enhancers. Mutations of Meis2 result in decreased activation of regulatory enhancers, affecting GABAergic differentiation. We propose a differential binding model where the binding of transcription factors at cis-regulatory elements determines differential gene expression programs regulating cell fate specification in the mouse ganglionic eminence.
Project description:Pre–B-cell leukemia homeobox (PBX) and myeloid ecotropic viral integration site (MEIS) proteins control cell fate decisions in many physiological and pathophysiological contexts, but how these proteins function mechanistically remains poorly defined. Focusing on the first hours of neuronal differentiation of adult subventricular zone–derived stem/progenitor cells, we describe a sequence of events by which PBX-MEIS facilitates chromatin accessibility of transcriptionally inactive genes: In undifferentiated cells, PBX1 is bound to the H1-compacted promoter/proximal enhancer of the neuron-specific gene doublecortin (Dcx). Once differentiation is induced, MEIS associates with chromatin-bound PBX1, recruits PARP1/ARTD1, and initiates PARP1-mediated eviction of H1 from the chromatin fiber. These results for the first time link MEIS proteins to PARP-regulated chromatin dynamics and provide a mechanistic basis to explain the profound cellular changes elicited by these proteins.
Project description:Vertebrate axial skeletal patterning is controlled by coordinated collinear expression of Hox genes and axial level-dependent activity of Hox protein combinations. Transcription factors of the Meis family act as cofactors of Hox proteins and profusely bind to Hox complex DNA, however their roles in mammalian axial patterning have not been established. Similarly, retinoic acid (RA) is known to regulate axial skeletal element identity through the transcriptional activity of its receptors, however whether this role is related to Meis/Hox regulation or functions in axial patterning remains unknown. Here we study the role of Meis factors in axial skeleton formation and its relationship to the RA pathway by characterizing Meis1, Meis2 and Raldh2 mutant mice. We report that Meis and Raldh2 regulate each other in a positive feedback regulatory loop that controls axial skeletal identity. Meis elimination produces homeotic transformations similar to those found in Raldh2 and anterior-Hox mutants and disrupts the expression of Hox target genes without changing the transcriptional profiles of Hox complexes. We propose that Meis regulates vertebrate axial skeleton patterning by exclusively affecting Hox protein function, and that alterations in RA levels can produce homeotic transformations without altering Hox transcription through regulating Meis expression.
Project description:Recent studies have revealed an essential role for embryonic cortical development in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the genetic basis and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we generate mutant human embryonic stem cell lines (Mut hESCs) carrying an NR2F1-R112K mutation that has been identified in a patient with ASD features, and investigate their neurodevelopmental alterations. Mut hESCs overproduce ventral telencephalic neuron progenitors (ventral NPCs) and inhibitory neurons, and underproduce dorsal NPCs and excitatory neurons. These alterations can be mainly attributed to the aberrantly activated Hedgehog signaling pathway. Moreover, the corresponding Nr2f1 point mutant mice display a similar excitatory/inhibitory neuron imbalance and abnormal behaviors. Antagonizing the increased inhibitory synaptic transmission partially alleviates their behavioral deficits. Together, our results suggest that the NR2F1-dependent imbalance of excitatory/inhibitory neuron differentiation caused by the activated Hedgehog pathway is one precursor of neurodevelopmental disorders and may enlighten the therapeutic approaches.
Project description:Vertebrate limbs develop by integrating signals that control patterning along three main orthogonal axes. Flank-produced retinoic acid (RA) is initially required for limb induction and establishment of the apical ectodermal ridge (AER), a distal signaling center that produces fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), which are essential for limb growth and distalization. Once the AER is established, RA:FGF antagonism determines the restricted expression of a set of genes that control limb proximodistal patterning. Essential for this antagonism is the activation by FGF of the RA-degrading enzyme CYP26B1 in the distal limb bud. In addition, sonic hedgehog produced from the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA) is essential for distal limb anteroposterior patterning and contributes to RA reduction by cooperating in CYP26B1 activation. Meis transcription factors are expressed in the proximal limb bud, are activated by RA and can regulate proximodistal limb development; however, the mechanisms underlying their activity remain unknown. Here we studied Meis function in the mouse limb bud through Meis2 conditional overexpression and elimination of Meis1 and Meis2. We found that Meis activity is first required for limb bud initiation and the proper establishment of the AER and ZPA signaling centers, and subsequently for the development of proximal limb structures. Functional genomic analyses reveal that Meis is an important conveyor of the RA:FGF antagonism through the regulation of components of the RA and FGF signaling pathways, including CYP26B1. In addition, Meis regulates a set of proximal limb genes controlling proximodistal patterning and differentiation. Our work reveals a regulatory module essential for limb patterning and potentially co-opted in other patterning processes involving RA:FGF antagonism.
Project description:Ptf1a has been shown to be necessary for determining an inhibitory interneuronal fate in many regions of the nervous system. In this study, we aim to investigate the sufficiency of Ptf1a to cell-autonomously promote a specific neuronal identity by misexpressing it in developing excitatory cortical pyramidal cells and studying its impact on pyramidal cell features, such as its gene expression profile. To accomplish this, we electroporate either a Ptf1a/GFP-misexpression construct or a GFP-only control construct into E12.5 mouse embryonic cortices, harvest the cortices at E15.5, and examine Ptf1a-induced changes to the pyramidal cell transcriptome, molecular expression pattern, neurotransmitter status, and morphology. We conclude that Ptf1a is sufficient to cell-autonomously promote an inhibitory peptidergic identity and alter neuronal morphology in developing cortical pyramidal cells. The results of this study provide insight into intrinsic transcriptional controls over neuronal identity, specifically implicate Ptf1a as a potent regulator of an inhibitory peptidergic identity, and may guide future studies of neuronal reprogramming for circuit repair after disease or injury.