Dynamic ubiquitylation of Sox2 regulates proteostasis and governs neural progenitor cell differentiation

Sox2 is a key transcriptional factor for maintaining pluripotency of stem cells. Sox2 deficiency causes neurodegeneration and impairs neurogenesis. Although the transcriptional regulation of Sox2 has been extensively studied, the mechanisms that control Sox2 protein turnover are yet to be clarified. Here we show that the RING-finger ubiquitin ligase complex CUL4A DET1-COP1 and the deubiquitylase OTUD7B govern Sox2 protein stability during neural progenitor cells (NPCs) differentiation. Sox2 expression declines concordantly with OTUD7B and reciprocally with CUL4A and COP1 levels upon NPCs differentiation. COP1, as the substrate receptor, interacts directly with and ubiquitylates Sox2, while OTUD7B removes polyUb conjugates from Sox2 and increases its stability. COP1 knockdown stabilizes Sox2 and prevents differentiation, while OTUD7B knockdown destabilizes Sox2 and induces differentiation. Thus, CUL4A DET1-COP1 and OTUD7B exert opposite roles in regulating Sox2 protein stability at the post-translational level, which represents a critical regulatory mechanism involved in the maintenance and differentiation of NPCs.