Combinatorial transcription factor binding encodes cis-regulatory wiring of forebrain GABAergic neurogenesis

Abstract

Transcription factors (TFs) bind combinatorially to genomic cis-regulatory elements (cREs), orchestrating transcription programs. While studies of chromatin state and chromosomal interactions have revealed dynamic neurodevelopmental cRE landscapes, parallel understanding of the underlying TF binding lags. To elucidate the combinatorial TF-cRE interactions driving mouse basal ganglia development, we integrated ChIP-seq for twelve TFs, H3K4me3-associated enhancer-promoter interactions, chromatin and transcriptional state, and transgenic enhancer assays. We identified TF-cREs modules with distinct chromatin features and enhancer activity that have complementary roles driving GABAergic neurogenesis and suppressing other developmental fates. While the majority of distal cREs were bound by one or two TFs, a small proportion were extensively bound, and these enhancers also exhibited exceptional evolutionary conservation, motif density, and complex chromosomal interactions. Our results provide new insights into how modules of combinatorial TF-cRE interactions activate and repress developmental expression programs and demonstrate the value of TF binding data in modeling gene regulatory wiring.