Dual role of ZIC2 during neural induction: from pioneer transcription factor to enhancer activator [Multiome]
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PROVIDER: PRJNA1311125 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
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Project description:ZIC2, a member of the Zinc Finger of the Cerebellum family of transcription factors (TFs), plays crucial roles during neural development. In humans, defects in ZIC2 cause holoprosencephaly, a congenital brain malformation characterized by the defective cleavage of cerebral hemispheres due to problems in midline patterning. However, the gene regulatory network (GRN) controlled by ZIC2 and the regulatory mechanisms it employs during neural development remain largely unexplored. Here, we combined a mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) in vitro differentiation model towards anterior neural progenitors (AntNPCs) with genome editing approaches, bulk and single cell (i.e. Multiome scATAC + scRNAseq) genomic methods to elucidate the precise GRN controlled by ZIC2 and the underlying mechanisms. We found that ZIC2 shows widespread binding throughout the genome already in mESC as well as upon pluripotency exit and neural induction. Despite its extensive binding in mESC, ZIC2 function is dispensable in pluripotent cells due to compensation by ZIC3. In contrast, ZIC2 plays a major regulatory function during neural induction, directly controlling the expression of master regulators implicated in the patterning and morphogenesis of specific brain regions, such as the midbrain (e.g., En1, Lmx1b, Pax2, Wnt1) and the roof plate (e.g., Lmx1a, Wnt3a). Mechanistically, ZIC2 plays a dual role in neural differentiation: (i) during pluripotency exit, ZIC2 acts as a pioneer TF, binding de novo to distal enhancers and promoting their chromatin accessibility; (ii) during neural induction, ZIC2 is essential for the activation of a subset of the previously primed enhancers, which in turn control the expression of major neural patterning regulators and signaling pathways (i.e. WNT) that prevent the premature differentiation of neural progenitors. Overall, our work shows that, by sequentially acting as a promiscuous pioneer and selective activator of enhancer elements, ZIC2 canalizes pluripotent cells towards neural progenitors with rostro-dorsal identities.
2025-08-26 | GSE306567 | GEO
Project description:ZIC2, a member of the Zinc Finger of the Cerebellum family of transcription factors (TFs), plays crucial roles during neural development. In humans, defects in ZIC2 cause holoprosencephaly, a congenital brain malformation characterized by the defective cleavage of cerebral hemispheres due to problems in midline patterning. However, the gene regulatory network (GRN) controlled by ZIC2 and the regulatory mechanisms it employs during neural development remain largely unexplored. Here, we combined a mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) in vitro differentiation model towards anterior neural progenitors (AntNPCs) with genome editing approaches, bulk and single cell (i.e. Multiome scATAC + scRNAseq) genomic methods to elucidate the precise GRN controlled by ZIC2 and the underlying mechanisms. We found that ZIC2 shows widespread binding throughout the genome already in mESC as well as upon pluripotency exit and neural induction. Despite its extensive binding in mESC, ZIC2 function is dispensable in pluripotent cells due to compensation by ZIC3. In contrast, ZIC2 plays a major regulatory function during neural induction, directly controlling the expression of master regulators implicated in the patterning and morphogenesis of specific brain regions, such as the midbrain (e.g., En1, Lmx1b, Pax2, Wnt1) and the roof plate (e.g., Lmx1a, Wnt3a). Mechanistically, ZIC2 plays a dual role in neural differentiation: (i) during pluripotency exit, ZIC2 acts as a pioneer TF, binding de novo to distal enhancers and promoting their chromatin accessibility; (ii) during neural induction, ZIC2 is essential for the activation of a subset of the previously primed enhancers, which in turn control the expression of major neural patterning regulators and signaling pathways (i.e. WNT) that prevent the premature differentiation of neural progenitors. Overall, our work shows that, by sequentially acting as a promiscuous pioneer and selective activator of enhancer elements, ZIC2 canalizes pluripotent cells towards neural progenitors with rostro-dorsal identities.
2025-08-28 | GSE306666 | GEO
Project description:ZIC2, a member of the Zinc Finger of the Cerebellum family of transcription factors (TFs), plays crucial roles during neural development. In humans, defects in ZIC2 cause holoprosencephaly, a congenital brain malformation characterized by the defective cleavage of cerebral hemispheres due to problems in midline patterning. However, the gene regulatory network (GRN) controlled by ZIC2 and the regulatory mechanisms it employs during neural development remain largely unexplored. Here, we combined a mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) in vitro differentiation model towards anterior neural progenitors (AntNPCs) with genome editing approaches, bulk and single cell (i.e. Multiome scATAC + scRNAseq) genomic methods to elucidate the precise GRN controlled by ZIC2 and the underlying mechanisms. We found that ZIC2 shows widespread binding throughout the genome already in mESC as well as upon pluripotency exit and neural induction. Despite its extensive binding in mESC, ZIC2 function is dispensable in pluripotent cells due to compensation by ZIC3. In contrast, ZIC2 plays a major regulatory function during neural induction, directly controlling the expression of master regulators implicated in the patterning and morphogenesis of specific brain regions, such as the midbrain (e.g., En1, Lmx1b, Pax2, Wnt1) and the roof plate (e.g., Lmx1a, Wnt3a). Mechanistically, ZIC2 plays a dual role in neural differentiation: (i) during pluripotency exit, ZIC2 acts as a pioneer TF, binding de novo to distal enhancers and promoting their chromatin accessibility; (ii) during neural induction, ZIC2 is essential for the activation of a subset of the previously primed enhancers, which in turn control the expression of major neural patterning regulators and signaling pathways (i.e. WNT) that prevent the premature differentiation of neural progenitors. Overall, our work shows that, by sequentially acting as a promiscuous pioneer and selective activator of enhancer elements, ZIC2 canalizes pluripotent cells towards neural progenitors with rostro-dorsal identities.
2025-08-26 | GSE306566 | GEO
Project description:ZIC2, a member of the Zinc Finger of the Cerebellum family of transcription factors (TFs), plays crucial roles during neural development. In humans, defects in ZIC2 cause holoprosencephaly, a congenital brain malformation characterized by the defective cleavage of cerebral hemispheres due to problems in midline patterning. However, the gene regulatory network (GRN) controlled by ZIC2 and the regulatory mechanisms it employs during neural development remain largely unexplored. Here, we combined a mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC, D0) in vitro differentiation model towards anterior neural progenitors (AntNPCs, D6) with genome editing approaches, bulk and single cell (i.e. Multiome scATAC + scRNAseq) genomic methods to elucidate the precise GRN controlled by ZIC2 and the underlying mechanisms. We found that ZIC2 shows widespread binding throughout the genome already in mESC as well as upon pluripotency exit and neural induction. Despite its extensive binding in mESC, ZIC2 function is dispensable in pluripotent cells due to compensation by ZIC3. In contrast, ZIC2 plays a major regulatory function during neural induction, directly controlling the expression of master regulators implicated in the patterning and morphogenesis of specific brain regions, such as the midbrain (e.g., En1, Lmx1b, Pax2, Wnt1) and the roof plate (e.g., Lmx1a, Wnt3a). Mechanistically, ZIC2 plays a dual role in neural differentiation: (i) during pluripotency exit, ZIC2 acts as a pioneer TF, binding de novo to distal enhancers and promoting their chromatin accessibility; (ii) during neural induction, ZIC2 is essential for the activation of a subset of the previously primed enhancers, which in turn control the expression of major neural patterning regulators and signaling pathways (i.e. WNT) that prevent the premature differentiation of neural progenitors. Overall, our work shows that, by sequentially acting as a promiscuous pioneer and selective activator of enhancer elements, ZIC2 canalizes pluripotent cells towards neural progenitors with rostro-dorsal identities.
2025-08-26 | GSE306563 | GEO
Project description:Dual role of ZIC2 during neural induction: from pioneer transcription factor to enhancer activator [ChIP-Seq]
| PRJNA1311599 | ENA
Project description:Dual role of ZIC2 during neural induction: from pioneer transcription factor to enhancer activator [RNA-Seq]
| PRJNA1311124 | ENA
Project description:Dual role of ZIC2 during neural induction: from pioneer transcription factor to enhancer activator [ATAC-Seq]
| PRJNA1311116 | ENA
Project description:RNA-seq transcriptome analysis identified an early requirement for zic2 in periocular neural crest as an activator of alx1, a transcription factor with essential roles in craniofacial and ocular morphogenesis in human and zebrafish
2017-07-14 | GSE99382 | GEO
Project description:The Zinc finger protein of the cerebellum 2 (Zic2) is one of the vertebrate homologs of the Drosophila pair-rule gene odd-paired (opa). Our molecular and biochemical studies have demonstrated that Zic2 to preferentially bind to transcriptional enhancers and functions as a cofactor that interacts with the NuRD complex in ES cells. Detailed genome-wide studies demonstrate that Zic2 function with Mbd3/NuRD in regulating the chromatin state and transcriptional output of genes linked to differentiation. Zic2 is dispensable for the selfrenewal of ES cells but is required for proper differentiation, similar to what has been previously reported for Mbd3/NuRD. Our study identifies Zic2 as a key factor in the execution of the pluripotency program with Mbd3/NuRD in ES cells. ChIP-seq of Zic2, Chd4, Mbd3 and Zic3 in mES cells. ChIP-seq of H3K27me3, H3K27ac, H3K4me3, H3K4me1 and PolII in mES cells after Zic2 shRNA and non-targeting shRNA. RNA-seq of mES cells after Zic2, Zic3, Mbd3 and Mta2 shRNA and non-targeting shRNA.
2015-02-23 | E-GEOD-61188 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:PANC-1Tet/ZIC2 and PANC-1Tet/empty were established from human pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1. PANC-1Tet/ZIC2 cells express FLAG-tagged human ZIC2 on the withdrawal of DOX. On the other hand, PANC-1Tet/empty was transfected an empty vector for the control experiment. To identify ZIC2 target genes, total RNAs were purified from the cells before and 48 hours after the DOX withdrawal. Gene expression profiles were analyzed by AGILENT human 4x44k cDNA microarray. As well as ZIC2-inducible system, we performed ZIC2-knockdown experiments in PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells. After 96 hours transfection of siRNAs for ZIC2 and its control, total RNAs were purified and gene expression profiles were analyzed by AGILENT human 4x44k cDNA microarray. ZIC2 target genes were identified in PANC-1 cells. Gene expression profiles of PANC-1Tet/ZIC2 and PANC-1Tet/empty cells were analyzed by AGILENT human 4x44k cDNA microarray before and 48 hours after the DOX withdrawal. As well as ZIC2-inducible system, gene expression profiles of control- and ZIC2-knocdown PANC-1 cells were also analyzed by AGILENT human 4x44k cDNA microarray.
2014-04-14 | E-GEOD-39704 | biostudies-arrayexpress