BRD4 is necessary for epidermal differentiation

BRD4 is an epigenetic reader known to bind to acetylated lysines on histones and transcription factors, and it has been implicated in recruiting transcriptional machinery to promote differentiation gene expression in multiple cellular contexts. This activity is dependant on proper BRD4 localization to active promoters and enhancers, which is dependant on a variety of factors including lineage determining transcription factors (LDTFs). We found BRD4 to be necessary for epidermal differentiation, during which it shares many chromatin binding sites with a variety of epidermal lineage-determining transcription factors (LDTF's). BRD4 also regulates a similar differentiation related transcriptional program with the epidermal LDTF KLF4. Control siRNA (Ambion Silencer Select negative control 4390844), BRD4 siRNA knockdown (Dharmacon D-004937-05), KLF4 siRNA knockdown (Dharmacon: custom sequence) in 3 day differentiated primary keratinocytes, RNA-sequenced in replicates. BRD4 ChIP seq in 3 day differentated primary keratinocytes.