Ybx1 fine-tunes PRC2 activities to control embryonic brain development

Abstract

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) methylates H3K27 and suppresses RNA polymerase II transcription by promoting a closed chromatin. Here the authors identify the transcription factor Ybx1 as an interactor that regulates the binding of PRC2 to chromatin and H3K27 methylation to promote the genetic programs underlying neural lineages and neural progenitor self-renewal–differentiation choices.