How Retinoic Acid Affects Gene Binding in Early Neuron Development
Author Information
Author(s): Shaun Mahony, Esteban O. Mazzoni, Scott McCuine, Richard A. Young, Hynek Wichterle, David K. Gifford
Primary Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Hypothesis
How does retinoic acid influence the binding dynamics of retinoic acid receptors during the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into motor neurons?
Conclusion
Retinoic acid treatment leads to significant changes in retinoic acid receptor binding, indicating a ligand-dependent shift in genomic occupancy during neurogenesis.
Supporting Evidence
- Retinoic acid treatment resulted in widespread changes in RAR genomic binding.
- Binding of transcription factors at the embryonic stem cell stage can predict RAR binding after differentiation.
- RAR binding is associated with RNA polymerase II initiation and elongation.
Takeaway
When cells get a signal from retinoic acid, it changes where certain proteins stick to the DNA, helping the cells become nerve cells.
Methodology
The study used ChIP-seq to profile RAR binding in mouse embryonic stem cells during differentiation into motor neurons.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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