Shared transcription factors contribute to distinct cell fates.

Genome-wide transcription factor (TF) binding profiles differ dramatically between cell types. However, not much is known about the relationship between cell-type-specific binding patterns and gene expression. A recent study demonstrated how the same TFs can have functional roles when binding to largely non-overlapping genomic regions in hematopoietic progenitor and mast cells. Cell-type specific binding profiles of shared TFs are therefore not merely the consequence of opportunistic and functionally irrelevant binding to accessible chromatin, but instead have the potential to make meaningful contributions to cell-type specific transcriptional programs.Work in the authors’ laboratory is supported by grants from Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, the MRC, BBSRC, the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Society, Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, and core support grants by the Wellcome Trust to the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and Wellcome Trust & MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. FSLN is the recipient of a Yousef Jameel scholarship.This is the final version. It was first published by Taylor & Francis at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCopyRight?doi=10.4161%2F21541264.2014.978173#tabModul