Sp7/Osterix is restricted to bone-forming vertebrates where it acts as a Dlx co-factor in osteoblast specification [ChIP-Seq]

Sp7/Osterix is a master regulator of osteoblast specification. To identify the Sp7-mediated gene regulatory network in osteoblasts, we performed Sp7 ChIP-seq on primary mouse calvarial osteoblasts comparing the DNA binding profile with the transcriptional profile of Sp7-positive osteoblasts. Analysis of these identified a network of Sp7 regulated osteoblast targets and provides a new insight into the mode of Sp7 action in osteoblast. To further study for the Sp7 mode, we performed ChIP-seq for Sp1, Sp7, Dlx5, as a potential Sp7 partner identified in this study and mutated Sp7 which has mutations in the zinc finger domain, by using in vitro system with a pre-osteoblast mouse cell line, MC3T3E1. Overall design: ChIP-seq experiments with primary osteoblasts and an osteoblast cell line were performed.