Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42285106›Full record

ArticleMolecular cell2026

Distinct associations of pioneer factor Ascl1-E12a with nucleosomes drive changes in cell fate.

Bing-Rui Zhou, Edgar Luzete-Monteiro, Jingchao Zhang, Naomi Takenaka, Hsin-Yao Tang, Meilin Fernandez Garcia, Mariel Coradin, Megan Frederick, Greg Donahue, Benjamin Garcia and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular cell, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

12 authors.

Bing-Rui ZhouLaboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Edgar Luzete-MonteiroInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Jingchao ZhangInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: jingchao.zhang@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Naomi TakenakaInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Hsin-Yao TangProteomics & Metabolomics Shared Resource, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Meilin Fernandez GarciaInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Mariel CoradinInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Megan FrederickInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Greg DonahueInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Benjamin GarciaInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Yawen BaiLaboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Electronic address: baiyaw@mail.nih.gov.
Kenneth S ZaretInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: zaret@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

Funding

Tumor Microenvironment and MetastasisP30CA010815 · NCI · WISTAR INSTITUTE · PI Aaron Robert Goldman · 1985 to 2026
$75.9M
Nucleosome DynamicsZIABC010808 · NCI · DIVISION OF BASIC SCIENCES - NCI · PI BAI, YAWEN · 2009 to 2025
$26.5M
Transcription Factors Overcoming Chromatin Barriers to Control Cell FateR35GM153180 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI Kenneth Zaret · 2024 to 2026
$2.2M
Advancing Cancer Research through Comprehensive Proteomics and Metabolomics AnalysesR50CA221838 · NCI · WISTAR INSTITUTE · PI Hsin-Yao Tang · 2017 to 2026
$2.1M
Intramural NIH HHS ZIA BC010808NCI NIH HHS P30 CA010815NCI NIH HHS R50 CA221838NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM153180
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Understanding how pioneer transcription factors target nucleosomal DNA and initiate chromatin accessibility reveals the earliest events in cell fate changes. We integrated structural, biochemical, and genomic approaches to assess how the pioneer factor Ascl1-E12a heterodimer perturbs nucleosomes in vitro and in vivo to induce a neural cell fate. Two Ascl1-E12a heterodimers shift and unwrap 15 bp of nucleosomal DNA in a stepwise manner while eliciting solvent exchanges within the octamer. Nucleosome binding, but not free DNA binding, by Ascl1-E12a is enhanced by two types of associations with the nucleosome that differentially affect the kinetics of DNA unwrapping and shifting. Nucleosome association mutants of Ascl1 perturb chromatin opening on linker histone-compacted nucleosome arrays-independent of nucleosome remodelers-and targeting of closed chromatin in vivo, with consequent deficiencies in cellular reprogramming. Our findings establish that distinct associations with nucleosomes are essential for the pioneer factor Ascl1 to overcome chromatin barriers to reprogram cell fate.

Indexed as

Basic Helix-Loop-Helix ProteinsNeuronsNucleosomesAnimalsCell DifferentiationCellular ReprogrammingChromatinChromatin Assembly and DisassemblyDNAHistonesHumansMiceProtein BindingAscl1 protein, mouseBasic Helix-Loop-Helix ProteinsChromatinDNAHistonesNucleosomescell fatechromatinchromatin openingcross-linkingcryo-EMneuralneuronnucleosomenucleosome arrayspioneer factorreprogramming

Identifiers

PMID42285106
PMCPMC13425764

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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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.