RT @Nature: Nature research paper: DNA-guided transcription factor interactions extend human gene regulatory code.

@mariaosmala @Cambridge_Uni @Tongji_Uni @helsinkiuni @karolinskainst @UCIrvine @sangerinstitute #DevelopmentalBiology #GeneRegulation #TranscriptionFactors #SystemsBiology #NaturePublication.10/10.

@mariaosmala Special thanks to our supporting institutions: @Cambridge_Uni @Tongji_Uni @helsinkiuni @karolinskainst @UCIrvine,especially to all my amazing colleagues at the @sangerinstitute-and to Profs. Yimeng Yin & Jussi Taipale for conducting main experiments and inspiring leadership! 9/10.

Congratulations to Zhiyuan Xie, @mariaosmala, Ekaterina Morgunova and all co-authors on this achievement!.8/10.

Our findings have applications beyond basic biology—potentially improving genetic engineering tools, predicting non-coding variant risks, developing novel therapies, and enhancing gene regulatory models. 7/10.

Composite motifs offer four advantages:.1️⃣ Integrating positional information.2️⃣ Enabling dual TF functionality.3️⃣ Achieving higher specificity at lower concentrations.4️⃣ Producing sharper responses via cooperativity.6/10.

Our research shows DNA-facilitated TF interactions rapidly evolve new contact surfaces, expanding regulatory possibilities through fixed positioning on DNA strands. 5/10.

These composite motifs are enriched in cell-type-specific elements and active in vivo. Key developmental TFs partner with unique factors—solving the "hox-specificity paradox" and explaining diverse developmental outcomes. 4/10.

We discovered 1,131 unique composite DNA motifs that differ from those recognized by individual TFs. These may account for 18-47% of all potential human TF interactions and are evolutionarily conserved.3/10.

Using our lab-developed CAP-SELEX technique, we mapped DNA-guided interactions across 58,000+ transcription factor pairs, revealing 2,198 interacting pairs with 1,329 showing distinct DNA-binding spacing and orientation preferences. 2/10.

Exciting news from our latest collaboration between Prof. Jussi Taipale's Lab Group ( and Prof. Yimeng Yin's Lab: our comprehensive screen of 58,000+ transcription factor pairs is now published in @Nature:.1/10.