The Pioneer Factor SOX9 Competes for Epigenetic Factors to Switch Stem Cell Fates

The document details a study on the transcription factor SOX9, which plays a pivotal role in determining the fate of epidermal stem cells (EpdSCs) by acting as a pioneer factor. SOX9 can bind to closed chromatin at hair follicle enhancers, recruit histone and chromatin modifiers to open the chromatin for transcription, and redistribute co-factors away from epidermal enhancers, leading to their silencing. This process is influenced by the mature EpdSC niche microenvironment. The study also found that SOX9's ability to switch cell fates is dependent on its DNA binding and interaction with chromatin remodelers. Dysregulated SOX9 expression can lead to the activation of oncogenic transcriptional regulators that drive tumorigenesis, such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC). The study utilized engineered mice and various mutant forms of SOX9, but the number of biological replicates or subjects involved is not specified in the summary.