A transcription factor based mechanism for mouse heterochromatin formation

We identify Pax3 and Pax9 transcription factors (TFs) as important regulators of mouse heterochromatin. Simultaneous depletion of these factors results in loss of H3K9me3 from Major Satellite repeats and dramatic transcript overexpression. H3K9me3 enrichment at intergenic major satellite repeats is only present if these sequences retain intact Pax and other TF binding sites. Overall design: H3K9me3 ChIP-seq in mouse ES cells wt and Pax3 KO and Pax3 KO/Pax9 KD