Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41187170›Full record

ArticlePLoS biology2025

Foxi2 and Sox3 are master transcription regulators that control ectoderm germ layer specification in Xenopus.

Clark L Hendrickson, Ira L Blitz, Amina Hussein, Kitt D Paraiso, Jin S Cho, Michael W Klymkowsky, Matthew J Kofron, Ken W Y Cho

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Clark L HendricksonDevelopmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, United States of America.
Ira L BlitzDevelopmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, United States of America.
Amina HusseinDevelopmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, United States of America.
Kitt D ParaisoDevelopmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, United States of America.
Jin S ChoDevelopmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, United States of America.
Michael W KlymkowskyMolecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America.
Matthew J KofronDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America.
Ken W Y ChoDevelopmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, United States of America.

Funding

Univ.of Calif., Irvine Cancer Center Support GrantP30CA062203 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI Melanie Funes · 1994 to 2026
$57.9M
UCI P30 Skin Center Systems Biology CoreP30AR075047 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI ANDERSEN, BOGI, GANESAN, ANAND K · 2019 to 2025
$5.1M
Zygotic Genome Activation by Maternal Transcription Factors and Epigenetic ModifiersR35GM139617 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI Ken W.Y. Cho · 2021 to 2026
$2.6M
Spatiotemporal mapping of enhancer activity in developing frog embryosR21HD109696 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI CHO, KEN W.Y. · 2022 to 2023
$417k
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA062203NIAMS NIH HHS P30 AR075047NICHD NIH HHS R21 HD109696NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM139617
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Germ layer specification represents a critical transition where pluripotent cells acquire lineage-specific identities. We identify the maternal transcription factors Foxi2 and Sox3 to be pivotal master regulators of ectodermal germ layer specification in Xenopus. Ectopic co-expression of Foxi2 and Sox3 in prospective endodermal tissue induces the expression of ectodermal markers while suppressing mesendodermal markers. Transcriptomic analyses reveal that Foxi2 and Sox3 jointly and independently regulate hundreds of ectodermal target genes. During early cleavage stages, Foxi2 and Sox3 pre-bind to key cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), marking sites that later recruit Ep300 and facilitate H3K27ac deposition, thereby shaping the epigenetic landscape of the ectodermal genome. These CRMs are highly enriched within ectoderm-specific super-enhancers (SEs). Our findings highlight the pivotal role of ectodermal SE-associated CRMs in precise and robust ectodermal gene activation, establishing Foxi2 and Sox3 as central architects of ectodermal lineage specification.

Indexed as

EctodermGerm LayersSOXB1 Transcription FactorsXenopus laevisXenopus ProteinsAnimalsCell LineageGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalSox3 protein, XenopusSOXB1 Transcription FactorsXenopus Proteins

Identifiers

PMID41187170
PMCPMC12599972

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.