Pax5 maintains cellular identity by repressing gene expression throughout B cell differentiation

Abstract

The transcription factor Pax5 is required for many aspects of B-lymphopoiesis including lineage commitment, immunoglobulin rearrangement, pre-BCR signalling and mature B cell survival. Pax5 regulates B cell lineage commitment by concurrently activating B cell specific gene expression as well as suppressing the expression of genes associated with non-B cell fates. The identity of the molecular targets of Pax5-mediated gene repression is the subject of much current interest. Recent studies have documented the essential nature of the Pax5 mediated repression of the stem cell transcriptional program, as well as the silencing of lineage inappropriate gene expression, for B cell development. Surpr..