The repressor role of OLIG2 is important and essential. The expression of OLIG2 is highly specific to the oligodendrocyte and motor neurons. Early studies on motor neuron development show that activator form of OLIG2 (OLIG2-VP16) inhibits motor neuron generation15,39. But the molecular mechanisms are not clear. Meanwhile, OLIG2 has been found to be a master regulator in oligodendrocyte development26,40. Whereas OLIG2 has been reported to be an essential activator in OPC differentiation by recruiting SMARCA4, an ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler7, we find that OLIG2 may have a repressive function in OPC differentiation by analyzing several public sequencing database7,20. Furthermore, we reveal that SETDB1, recruited by OLIG2, function as a major executor to repress a set of genes destined to be downregulated upon OPC differentiation.
