Dynamics and master transcription factors dependence of intestinal super-enhancers during differentiation and...

The intestinal epithelium is a highly regenerative tissue organized along the crypt-villus axis, where spatially compartmentalized gene expression governs stem cell renewal, proliferation, and differentiation. Super-enhancers (SEs) are large clusters of regulatory elements densely bound by transcription factors (TFs) and cofactors that drive high-level expression of genes controlling cell identity and fate, yet their roles in intestinal epithelial identity and differentiation remain unclear. Here, we generate a spatiotemporal map of SEs in the small intestine, identifying compartment-specific SEs that define crypt and villus programs. Using mouse genetic models, we identify CDX2, HNF4, and SMAD4 as core TFs orchestrating SE-driven transcriptional networks essential for epithelial differentiation. CDX2 is required for SE integrity, and its loss causes widespread SE collapse and silencing of intestinal identity genes. We further demonstrate SE remodeling during colorectal cancer, in which HNF4 and SMAD4 function as SE-associated tumor suppressors that restrain oncogenic enhancer programs. Together, our findings establish SEs as central regulators of intestinal architecture, epithelial fidelity, and tumor progression.