Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41656376›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Electrostatic properties of disordered regions control transcription factor search and pioneer activity.

Sim Sakong, Beat Fierz, David M Suter

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. 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

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Sim SakongLaboratory of Biophysical Chemistry of Macromolecules, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-5879-0418
Beat Fierz *Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry of Macromolecules, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. beat.fierz@epfl.ch.ORCID 0000-0002-2991-3044
David M Suter *Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. david.suter@epfl.ch.ORCID 0000-0001-5644-4899

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Transcription factors (TFs) search for and bind specific DNA target sites to control gene expression. However, eukaryotic TF target search within the chromatinized genome is poorly characterized. Here, we combine in vivo and in vitro single-molecule imaging to dissect the role of differentially-charged DNA-binding domain flanking regions in the target search of Sox TFs. We demonstrate that the flanking region of Sox2 markedly enhances search efficiency compared to the negatively-charged flanking region of Sox17. The involved mechanisms are distinct for naked DNA compared to chromatin. On DNA, the enhanced search of Sox2 is driven by an increased target recognition rate during 1D sliding, despite reduced sliding speed. Conversely, enhanced nonspecific interactions between the Sox2's DNA-binding domain flanking region and nucleosomes facilitate binding to compact chromatin and reinforce pioneer activity. These findings provide critical insights into biophysical mechanisms governing TF target search within the chromatinized genome.

Indexed as

DNASOXB1 Transcription FactorsTranscription FactorsAnimalsBinding SitesChromatinHumansNucleosomesProtein BindingSingle Molecule ImagingSOXF Transcription FactorsStatic ElectricityChromatinDNANucleosomesSOXB1 Transcription FactorsSOXF Transcription FactorsTranscription Factors

Identifiers

PMID41656376
PMCPMC12996321

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.