CDK9 phosphorylates RUNX1 to promote megakaryocytic fate in megakaryocytic-erythroid progenitors

The specification of megakaryocytic (Mk) or erythroid (E) lineages from primary human megakaryocytic-erythroid progenitors (MEPs) is crucial for hematopoietic homeostasis, yet the underlying mechanisms regulating fate specification remain elusive. In this study, we identify RUNX1 as a key modulator of gene expression during MEP fate specification. Overexpression of RUNX1 in primary human MEPs promotes Mk specification, whereas pan-RUNX inhibition favors E specification. Although total RUNX1 levels do not differ between Mk progenitors (MkPs) and E progenitors (ErPs), there are higher levels of serine-phosphorylated RUNX1 in MkPs than ErPs, and mutant RUNX1 with phosphorylated-serine/threonine mimetic mutations (RUNX1-4D) significantly enhances the functional efficacy of RUNX1. To model the effects of RUNX1 variants, we use human erythroleukemia (HEL) cell lines expressing wild-type (WT), phosphomimetic (RUNX1-4D), and nonphosphorylatable (RUNX1-4A) mutants showing that the 3 forms of RUNX1 differentially regulate expression of 2625 genes. Both WT and RUNX1-4D variants increase expression in 40%, and decrease expression in another 40%, with lesser effects of RUNX1-4A. We find a significant overlap between the upregulated genes in WT and RUNX1-4D-expressing HEL cells and those upregulated in primary human MkPs vs MEPs. Although inhibition of known RUNX1 serine/threonine kinases does not affect phosphoserine RUNX1 levels in primary MEPs, specific inhibition of cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) in MEPs leads to both decreased RUNX1 phosphorylation and increased E commitment. Collectively, our findings show that serine/threonine phosphorylation of RUNX1 promotes Mk fate specification and introduce a novel kinase for RUNX1 linking the fundamental transcriptional machinery with activation of a cell type-specific transcription factor.