Investigating the impact of mutant Sox2 - del107-111 - on pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem cells

Abstract

Sox2 is a transcription factor essential for pluripotency and cellular reprogramming, partly due to its ability to bend DNA and facilitate chromatin accessibility. This study aimed to investigate the role of Sox2-induced DNA bending in gene regulation by generating embryonic stem cell (ESC) lines with a 15 bp deletion in the Sox2 gene, resulting in the loss of five amino acids (Del107-111) in the DNA-binding domain. CRISPR/Cas9 was used to create the mutant lines, and the impact of this mutation on Sox2 function was assessed through gene expression analysis, protein quantification, and chromatin binding assays. Preliminary results confirmed the successful generation of mutant lines, with further work needed to validate chromatin accessibility differences between wild-type and mutant Sox2. These findings contribute to understanding Sox2's role in gene regulation and its potential implications for Sox-related diseases and stem cell reprogramming.