Identification of genome-wide targets of Olig2 in the adult mouse spinal cord using ChIP-Seq

Olig2 is a crucial factor in the specification and differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells that give rise to mature, myelin-producing OLs in the developing and postnatal CNS; however, its role in adulthood is less well understood. To investigate the role Olig2 plays in regulating gene expression in the adult oligodendrocyte lineage in a physiologically-relevant context, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by next generation sequencing analysis using whole spinal cord tissue harvested from adult mice. We found that many of the Olig2-bound sites were associated with genes with biological processes corresponding to myelination and ensheathment, as well as cell cycle and cytoskeletal regulation, suggesting Olig2 continues to play a critical role in processes related to OL differentiation and myelination well into adulthood. Overall design: Examination of in vivo genomic loci occupied by Olig2 in adult whole mouse spinal cord