Transcription factor retention on mitotic chromosomes: regulatory mechanisms and impact on cell fate decisions.

During mitosis, gene transcription stops, and the bulk of DNA-binding proteins are excluded from condensed chromosomes. While most gene-specific transcription factors are largely evicted from mitotic chromosomes, a subset remains bound to specific and non-specific DNA sites. Here, we review the current knowledge on the mechanisms leading to the retention of a subset of transcription factors on mitotic chromosomes and discuss the implications in gene expression regulation and their potential as an epigenetic mechanism controlling stem cell self-renewal and differentiation.