MKL/SRF and Bcl6 mutual transcriptional repression safeguards the fate and positioning of neocortical progenitor cells mediated by RhoA

Sci Adv. 2023 Nov 17;9(46):eadd0676. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.add0676. Epub 2023 Nov 15.

Abstract

During embryogenesis, multiple intricate and intertwined cellular signaling pathways coordinate cell behavior. Their slightest alterations can have dramatic consequences for the cells and the organs they form. The transcriptional repressor Bcl6 was recently found as important for brain development. However, its regulation and integration with other signals is unknown. Using in vivo functional approaches combined with molecular mechanistic analysis, we identified a reciprocal regulatory loop between B cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl6) and the RhoA-regulated transcriptional complex megakaryoblastic leukemia/serum response factor (MKL/SRF). We show that Bcl6 physically interacts with MKL/SRF, resulting in a down-regulation of the transcriptional activity of both Bcl6 and MKL/SRF. This molecular cross-talk is essential for the control of proliferation, neurogenesis, and spatial positioning of neural progenitors. Overall, our data highlight a regulatory mechanism that controls neuronal production and neocortical development and reveal an MKL/SRF and Bcl6 interaction that may have broader implications in other physiological functions and in diseases.

MeSH terms

  • Gene Expression
  • Neocortex* / metabolism
  • Serum Response Factor* / genetics
  • Serum Response Factor* / metabolism
  • Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Serum Response Factor
  • Transcription Factors