ChIP-on-chip significance analysis reveals large-scale binding and regulation by human transcription factor oncogenes

ChIP-on-chip has emerged as a powerful tool to dissect the complex network of regulatory interactions between transcription factors and their targets. However, most ChIP-on-chip analysis methods use conservative approaches aimed to minimize false-positive transcription factor targets. We present a model with improved sensitivity in detecting binding events from ChIP-on-chip data. Its application to human T-cells, followed by extensive biochemical validation, reveals that three transcription factor oncogenes, NOTCH1, MYC, and HES1, bind to several thousands target gene promoters, up to an order of magnitude increase over conventional analysis methods. Gene expression profiling upon NOTCH1 inhibition shows broad-scale functional regulation across the entire range of predicted target genes, establishing a closer link between occupancy and regulation. Finally, the increased sensitivity reveals a combinatorial regulatory program in which MYC co-binds to virtually all NOTCH1-bound promoters. Overall, these results suggest an unappreciated complexity of transcriptional regulatory networks and highlight the fundamental importance of genome-scale analysis to represent transcriptional programs. T-ALL cell lines harboring activating mutations in NOTCH1 were treated with vehicle only (DMSO) or a highly active gamma-secretase inhibitor (COMPE, 100nM) for 72 hs and processed for gene expression profiling analysis. Gene expression signatures associated with inhibition of NOTCH1 signaling with CompE were correlated with findings on NOTCH1 direct target genes identified by ChIP-on-chip analysis.