The WT1-BASP1 complex is required to maintain the differentiated state of taste receptor cells

The WT1-BASP1 complex is a transcriptional repressor that is involved in cell differentiation; however, the mechanisms underlying its effects are not well-characterized in vivo. In the peripheral taste system which endogenously expresses these proteins, BASP1 co-expression with WT1 begins at the end of development, suggesting a role for the WT1-BASP1 complex in terminal cell differentiation within this system. Using a conditional BASP1 mouse, we demonstrate that BASP1 is critical to maintain the differentiated state of adult cells by inhibiting the activation of WT1-dependent target genes. Our results uncover a central role for the WT1-BASP1 complex in maintaining cell differentiation.