Phosphorylation State of Olig2 Regulates Proliferation of Neural Progenitors

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The bHLH transcription factors that regulate early development of the central nervous system can generally be classified as either antineural or proneural. Initial expression of antineural factors prevents cell cycle exit and thereby expands the pool of neural progenitors. Subsequent (and typically transient) expression of proneural factors promotes cell cycle exit, subtype specification, and differentiation. Against this backdrop, the bHLH transcription factor Olig2 in the oligodendrocyte lineage is unorthodox, showing antineural functions in multipotent CNS progenitor cells but also sustained expression and proneural functions in the formation of oligodendrocytes. We show here that the proliferative function of Olig2 is controlled by developmentally regulated phosphorylation of a conserved triple serine motif within the amino-terminal domain. In the phosphorylated state, Olig2 maintains antineural (i.e., promitotic) functions that are reflected in human glioma cells and in a genetically defined murine model of primary glioma. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.

Publication Date

3-10-2011

Publication Title

Neuron

ISSN

08966273

E-ISSN

10974199

Volume

69

Issue

5

First Page

906

Last Page

917

PubMed ID

21382551

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/j.neuron.2011.02.005

Share

COinS