STAG2 cohesin is essential for heart morphogenesis

The distinct functions of cohesin complexes carrying STAG1 or STAG2 need to be unraveled. STAG2 is commonly mutated in cancer and germline mutations have been identified in cohesinopathy patients. To better understand the underlying pathogenic mechanisms, we here report the consequence of Stag2 ablation in mice. STAG2 is largely dispensable in adults and its tissue-wide inactivation does not lead to tumors but reduces fitness and affects both hematopoiesis and intestinal homeostasis. STAG2 is also dispensable for murine embryonic fibroblasts in vitro. In contrast, null embryos die by mid gestation showing global developmental delay and heart defects. Histopathological analysis and RNA-sequencing unveiled that STAG2 is required both for proliferation and regulation of cardiac transcriptional programs and in its absence, secondary heart field progenitors fail to enter the heart tube. These results provide compelling evidence on cell- and tissue-specific roles of the two cohesin complexes and how their dysfunction contributes to disease.