Distinct and overlapping roles of STAG1 and STAG2 in cohesin localization and gene expression in embryonic stem cells.

Together, this work reveals the requirement of at least one STAG protein for proper cohesin function. STAG1 and STAG2 have independent roles in cohesin localization and both overlapping and distinct roles in gene expression. The roles of STAG1 and STAG2 in mouse embryonic stem cells may be somewhat different than in other cell types, due to their relative expression levels. These results advance our understanding of the link between mammalian genome organization and gene expression during development and disease contexts.