Genome-wide maps of TCF7L1 binding during early adipogenesis. Mus musculus

Here we show through genome-wide binding studies that transcription factor 7-like 1 (TCF7L1) represses structure-related genes during adipogenesis. Intriguingly, TCF7L1 is induced in a cell contact-dependent manner by confluency in preadipocytes and is required for adipocyte differentiation by repressing transcription of cell structure genes. TCF7L1 is also sufficient to bestow adipogenic potential upon non-adipogenic cells. These results implicate TCF7L1 as a novel adipogenic competency factor that uniquely determines adipogenic fate through cell structure organization required for adipocyte gene activation. Overall design: Examination of TCF7L1 binding in preadipocytes treated for 24 hours with adipogenic stimuli.