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Wan C, Huang Y, Xue X, Chang G, Wang M, Zhao X, Luo F, Tang Z. HELQ deficiency impairs the induction of primordial germ cell-like cells. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:1087-1100. [PMID: 38720471 PMCID: PMC11216937 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Helicase POLQ-like (HELQ) is a DNA helicase essential for the maintenance of genome stability. A recent study identified two HELQ missense mutations in some cases of infertile men. However, the functions of HELQ in the process of germline specification are not well known and whether its function is conserved between mouse and human remains unclear. Here, we revealed that Helq knockout (Helq-/-) could significantly reduce the efficiency of mouse primordial germ cell-like cell (PGCLC) induction. In addition, Helq-/- embryonic bodies exhibited a severe apoptotic phenotype on day 6 of mouse PGCLC induction. p53 inhibitor treatment could partially rescue the generation of mouse PGCLCs from Helq mutant mouse embryonic stem cells. Finally, the genetic ablation of HELQ could also significantly impede the induction of human PGCLCs. Collectively, our study sheds light on the involvement of HELQ in the induction of both mouse and human PGCLCs, providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying germline differentiation and the genetic studies of human fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Wan
- Maoming People's HospitalChina
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yaping Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xingguo Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Gang Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyShenzhen University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Mei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiao‐Yang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue EngineeringSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH‐GDL)China
| | - Fang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
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2
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Lim S, J F van Son G, Wisma Eka Yanti NL, Andersson-Rolf A, Willemsen S, Korving J, Lee HG, Begthel H, Clevers H. Derivation of functional thymic epithelial organoid lines from adult murine thymus. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114019. [PMID: 38551965 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) orchestrate T cell development by imposing positive and negative selection on thymocytes. Current studies on TEC biology are hampered by the absence of long-term ex vivo culture platforms, while the cells driving TEC self-renewal remain to be identified. Here, we generate long-term (>2 years) expandable 3D TEC organoids from the adult mouse thymus. For further analysis, we generated single and double FoxN1-P2A-Clover, Aire-P2A-tdTomato, and Cldn4-P2A-tdTomato reporter lines by CRISPR knockin. Single-cell analyses of expanding clonal organoids reveal cells with bipotent stem/progenitor phenotypes. These clonal organoids can be induced to express Foxn1 and to generate functional cortical- and Aire-expressing medullary-like TECs upon RANK ligand + retinoic acid treatment. TEC organoids support T cell development from immature thymocytes in vitro as well as in vivo upon transplantation into athymic nude mice. This organoid-based platform allows in vitro study of TEC biology and offers a potential strategy for ex vivo T cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangho Lim
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Gijs J F van Son
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; The Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht 3584 CS, the Netherlands
| | - Ni Luh Wisma Eka Yanti
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Amanda Andersson-Rolf
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sam Willemsen
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Korving
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hong-Gyun Lee
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Harry Begthel
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Clevers
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CT, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; The Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht 3584 CS, the Netherlands.
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3
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Nian X, Lin P, Bai Y, Yu D, Yang X, Zhou B, Gao J, Zhao Y. Osr1-mediated mesothelial transition of liver mesenchymal cells exacerbates fibrotic liver damage. Mol Ther 2024:S1525-0016(24)00093-5. [PMID: 38414241 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
In chronic liver diseases, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are induced to form the myofibroblasts responsible for scar formation, leading to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Here, single-cell RNA sequencing with in vivo lineage tracing in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model mice reveals a subpopulation of HSCs transitioning back to a state resembling their developmental precursors, mesothelial cells (MCs), after liver injury. These damage-associated intermediates between HSCs and MCs (DIHMs) can be traced with a dual recombinase system by labeling Krt19-expressing cells within prelabeled Pdgfrb+ HSCs, and DIHMs highly express inflammation- and fibrosis-associated genes. Cre and Dre-inducible depletion of DIHMs by administering diphtheria toxin reduces liver fibrosis and alleviates liver damage in NASH model mice. Importantly, knockdown of Osr1, a zinc finger transcription factor of the OSR gene family, can block DIHM induction in vitro. Conditional knockout Osr1 in Pdgfrb-expressing mesenchymal cells in NASH model mice can reduce liver fibrosis in vivo. Our study collectively uncovers an injury-induced developmental reversion process wherein HSCs undergo what we call a mesenchymal-to-mesothelial transition, which can be targeted to develop interventions to treat chronic liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Nian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Pengyan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yunfei Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Donglin Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Xinyan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China
| | - Bin Zhou
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing Key Surgical Basic Research Laboratory of Liver Cirrhosis and Liver Cancer, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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4
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MacCarthy CM, Wu G, Malik V, Menuchin-Lasowski Y, Velychko T, Keshet G, Fan R, Bedzhov I, Church GM, Jauch R, Cojocaru V, Schöler HR, Velychko S. Highly cooperative chimeric super-SOX induces naive pluripotency across species. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:127-147.e9. [PMID: 38141611 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of pluripotency remains limited: iPSC generation has only been established for a few model species, pluripotent stem cell lines exhibit inconsistent developmental potential, and germline transmission has only been demonstrated for mice and rats. By swapping structural elements between Sox2 and Sox17, we built a chimeric super-SOX factor, Sox2-17, that enhanced iPSC generation in five tested species: mouse, human, cynomolgus monkey, cow, and pig. A swap of alanine to valine at the interface between Sox2 and Oct4 delivered a gain of function by stabilizing Sox2/Oct4 dimerization on DNA, enabling generation of high-quality OSKM iPSCs capable of supporting the development of healthy all-iPSC mice. Sox2/Oct4 dimerization emerged as the core driver of naive pluripotency with its levels diminished upon priming. Transient overexpression of the SK cocktail (Sox+Klf4) restored the dimerization and boosted the developmental potential of pluripotent stem cells across species, providing a universal method for naive reset in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guangming Wu
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany; International Bio Island, Guangzhou, China; MingCeler Biotech, Guangzhou, China
| | - Vikas Malik
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Taras Velychko
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gal Keshet
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Rui Fan
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
| | - Ivan Bedzhov
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
| | - George M Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Wyss Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ralf Jauch
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Vlad Cojocaru
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany; University of Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; STAR-UBB Institute, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Hans R Schöler
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany.
| | - Sergiy Velychko
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Wyss Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
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5
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Zhang G, Xie XX, Zhang SE, Zhang FL, Li CX, Qiao T, Dyce PW, Feng XL, Lin WB, Sun QC, Shen W, Cheng SF. Induced differentiation of primordial germ cell like cells from SOX9 + porcine skin derived stem cells. Theriogenology 2023; 212:129-139. [PMID: 37717516 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms behind porcine primordial germ cell like cells (pPGCLCs) development, differentiation, and gametogenesis is crucial in the treatment of infertility. In this study, SOX9+ skin derived stem cells (SOX9+ SDSCs) were isolated from fetal porcine skin and a high-purity SOX9+ SDSCs population was obtained. The SOX9+ SDSCs were induced to transdifferentiate into PGCLCs during 8 days of cultured. The results of RNA-seq, western blot and immunofluorescence staining verified SDSCs have the potential to transdifferentiate into PGCLCs from aspects of transcription factor activation, germ layer differentiation, energy metabolism, and epigenetic changes. Both adherent and suspended cells were collected. The adherent cells were found to be very similar to early porcine primordial germ cells (pPGCs). The suspended cells resembled late stage pPGCs and had a potential to enter meiotic process. This SDSCs culture-induced in vitro model is expected to provide suitable donor cells for stem cell transplantation in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geng Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Xin-Xiang Xie
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Shu-Er Zhang
- Animal Husbandry General Station of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250010, China
| | - Fa-Li Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Chun-Xiao Li
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Tian Qiao
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Paul W Dyce
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Xin-Lei Feng
- Shandong Animal Products Quality and Safety Center, Jinan, 250010, China
| | - Wei-Bo Lin
- Animal Husbandry Development Center of Changyi City, Weifang, 261300, China
| | - Qi-Cheng Sun
- School of Finance, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Wei Shen
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
| | - Shun-Feng Cheng
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
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6
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Pulver C, Grun D, Duc J, Sheppard S, Planet E, Coudray A, de Fondeville R, Pontis J, Trono D. Statistical learning quantifies transposable element-mediated cis-regulation. Genome Biol 2023; 24:258. [PMID: 37950299 PMCID: PMC10637000 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03085-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transposable elements (TEs) have colonized the genomes of most metazoans, and many TE-embedded sequences function as cis-regulatory elements (CREs) for genes involved in a wide range of biological processes from early embryogenesis to innate immune responses. Because of their repetitive nature, TEs have the potential to form CRE platforms enabling the coordinated and genome-wide regulation of protein-coding genes by only a handful of trans-acting transcription factors (TFs). RESULTS Here, we directly test this hypothesis through mathematical modeling and demonstrate that differences in expression at protein-coding genes alone are sufficient to estimate the magnitude and significance of TE-contributed cis-regulatory activities, even in contexts where TE-derived transcription fails to do so. We leverage hundreds of overexpression experiments and estimate that, overall, gene expression is influenced by TE-embedded CREs situated within approximately 500 kb of promoters. Focusing on the cis-regulatory potential of TEs within the gene regulatory network of human embryonic stem cells, we find that pluripotency-specific and evolutionarily young TE subfamilies can be reactivated by TFs involved in post-implantation embryogenesis. Finally, we show that TE subfamilies can be split into truly regulatorily active versus inactive fractions based on additional information such as matched epigenomic data, observing that TF binding may better predict TE cis-regulatory activity than differences in histone marks. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that TE-embedded CREs contribute to gene regulation during and beyond gastrulation. On a methodological level, we provide a statistical tool that infers TE-dependent cis-regulation from RNA-seq data alone, thus facilitating the study of TEs in the next-generation sequencing era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Pulver
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Delphine Grun
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julien Duc
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Shaoline Sheppard
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Evarist Planet
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Coudray
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Raphaël de Fondeville
- Swiss Data Science Center, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Julien Pontis
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- SOPHiA GENETICS SA, La Pièce 12, CH-1180, Rolle, Switzerland.
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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7
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Huang Y, Li L, An G, Yang X, Cui M, Song X, Lin J, Zhang X, Yao Z, Wan C, Zhou C, Zhao J, Song K, Ren S, Xia X, Fu X, Lan Y, Hu X, Wang W, Wang M, Zheng Y, Miao K, Bai X, Hutchins AP, Chang G, Gao S, Zhao XY. Single-cell multi-omics sequencing of human spermatogenesis reveals a DNA demethylation event associated with male meiotic recombination. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:1520-1534. [PMID: 37723297 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01232-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Human spermatogenesis is a highly ordered process; however, the roles of DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility in this process remain largely unknown. Here by simultaneously investigating the chromatin accessibility, DNA methylome and transcriptome landscapes using the modified single-cell chromatin overall omic-scale landscape sequencing approach, we revealed that the transcriptional changes throughout human spermatogenesis were correlated with chromatin accessibility changes. In particular, we identified a set of transcription factors and cis elements with potential functions. A round of DNA demethylation was uncovered upon meiosis initiation in human spermatogenesis, which was associated with male meiotic recombination and conserved between human and mouse. Aberrant DNA hypermethylation could be detected in leptotene spermatocytes of certain nonobstructive azoospermia patients. Functionally, the intervention of DNA demethylation affected male meiotic recombination and fertility. Our work provides multi-omics landscapes of human spermatogenesis at single-cell resolution and offers insights into the association between DNA demethylation and male meiotic recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Lin Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Geng An
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xinyan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Manman Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xiuling Song
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jing Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zhaokai Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Cong Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Cai Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jiexiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Ke Song
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Shaofang Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xinyu Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xin Fu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yu Lan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xuesong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Wen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Mei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yi Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Kai Miao
- Centre for Precision Medicine Research and Training, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, P. R. China
| | - Xiaochun Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Andrew P Hutchins
- Department of Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Gang Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, P. R. China.
| | - Shuai Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P. R. China.
| | - Xiao-Yang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
- Department of Gynecology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
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8
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Hu H, Ho D, Tan DS, MacCarthy C, Yu CH, Weng M, Schöler H, Jauch R. Evaluation of the determinants for improved pluripotency induction and maintenance by engineered SOX17. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8934-8956. [PMID: 37607832 PMCID: PMC10516664 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
An engineered SOX17 variant with point mutations within its DNA binding domain termed SOX17FNV is a more potent pluripotency inducer than SOX2, yet the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Although wild-type SOX17 was incapable of inducing pluripotency, SOX17FNV outperformed SOX2 in mouse and human pluripotency reprogramming. In embryonic stem cells, SOX17FNV could replace SOX2 to maintain pluripotency despite considerable sequence differences and upregulated genes expressed in cleavage-stage embryos. Mechanistically, SOX17FNV co-bound OCT4 more cooperatively than SOX2 in the context of the canonical SoxOct DNA element. SOX2, SOX17, and SOX17FNV were all able to bind nucleosome core particles in vitro, which is a prerequisite for pioneer transcription factors. Experiments using purified proteins and in cellular contexts showed that SOX17 variants phase-separated more efficiently than SOX2, suggesting an enhanced ability to self-organise. Systematic deletion analyses showed that the N-terminus of SOX17FNV was dispensable for its reprogramming activity. However, the C-terminus encodes essential domains indicating multivalent interactions that drive transactivation and reprogramming. We defined a minimal SOX17FNV (miniSOX) that can support reprogramming with high activity, reducing the payload of reprogramming cassettes. This study uncovers the mechanisms behind SOX17FNV-induced pluripotency and establishes engineered SOX factors as powerful cell engineering tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoqing Hu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Derek Hoi Hang Ho
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, Hong Kong
| | - Daisylyn Senna Tan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | - Cheng-han Yu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mingxi Weng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, Hong Kong
| | | | - Ralf Jauch
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, Hong Kong
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9
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DiRusso JA, Clark AT. Transposable elements in early human embryo development and embryo models. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 81:102086. [PMID: 37441874 PMCID: PMC10917458 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs), long discounted as 'selfish genomic elements,' are increasingly appreciated as the drivers of genomic evolution, genome organization, and gene regulation. TEs are particularly important in early embryo development, where advances in stem cell technologies, in tandem with improved computational and next-generation sequencing approaches, have provided an unprecedented opportunity to study the contribution of TEs to early mammalian development. Here, we summarize advances in our understanding of TEs in early human development and expand on how new stem cell-based embryo models can be leveraged to augment this understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A DiRusso
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA.; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Reproductive Science, Health and Education, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Amander T Clark
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA.; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Reproductive Science, Health and Education, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Choi EB, Vodnala M, Saini P, Anugula S, Zerbato M, Ho JJ, Wang J, Ho Sui SJ, Yoon J, Roels M, Inouye C, Fong YW. Transcription factor SOX15 regulates stem cell pluripotency and promotes neural fate during differentiation by activating the neurogenic gene Hes5. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102996. [PMID: 36764520 PMCID: PMC10023989 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.102996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
SOX2 and SOX15 are Sox family transcription factors enriched in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The role of SOX2 in activating gene expression programs essential for stem cell self-renewal and acquisition of pluripotency during somatic cell reprogramming is well-documented. However, the contribution of SOX15 to these processes is unclear and often presumed redundant with SOX2 largely because overexpression of SOX15 can partially restore self-renewal in SOX2-deficient ESCs. Here, we show that SOX15 contributes to stem cell maintenance by cooperating with ESC-enriched transcriptional coactivators to ensure optimal expression of pluripotency-associated genes. We demonstrate that SOX15 depletion compromises reprogramming of fibroblasts to pluripotency which cannot be compensated by SOX2. Ectopic expression of SOX15 promotes the reversion of a postimplantation, epiblast stem cell state back to a preimplantation, ESC-like identity even though SOX2 is expressed in both cell states. We also uncover a role of SOX15 in lineage specification, by showing that loss of SOX15 leads to defects in commitment of ESCs to neural fates. SOX15 promotes neural differentiation by binding to and activating a previously uncharacterized distal enhancer of a key neurogenic regulator, Hes5. Together, these findings identify a multifaceted role of SOX15 in induction and maintenance of pluripotency and neural differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Bee Choi
- Brigham Regenerative Medicine Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Munender Vodnala
- Brigham Regenerative Medicine Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Prince Saini
- Brigham Regenerative Medicine Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sharath Anugula
- Brigham Regenerative Medicine Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Madeleine Zerbato
- Brigham Regenerative Medicine Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jaclyn J Ho
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Center of Excellence, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jianing Wang
- Brigham Regenerative Medicine Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shannan J Ho Sui
- Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joon Yoon
- Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marielle Roels
- Brigham Regenerative Medicine Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Carla Inouye
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Center of Excellence, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Yick W Fong
- Brigham Regenerative Medicine Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
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Targeting APLN/APJ restores blood-testis barrier and improves spermatogenesis in murine and human diabetic models. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7335. [PMID: 36443325 PMCID: PMC9705293 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34990-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent metabolic diseases presenting with systemic pathologies, including reproductive disorders in male diabetic patients. However, the molecular mechanisms that contributing to spermatogenesis dysfunction in diabetic patients have not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we perform STRT-seq to examine the transcriptome of diabetic patients' testes at single-cell resolution including all major cell types of the testis. Intriguingly, whereas spermatogenesis appears largely preserved, the gene expression profiles of Sertoli cells and the blood-testis barrier (BTB) structure are dramatically impaired. Among these deregulate pathways, the Apelin (APLN) peptide/Apelin-receptor (APJ) axis is hyper-activated in diabetic patients' testes. Mechanistically, APLN is produced locally by Sertoli cells upon high glucose treatment, which subsequently suppress the production of carnitine and repress the expression of cell adhesion genes in Sertoli cells. Together, these effects culminate in BTB structural dysfunction. Finally, using the small molecule APLN receptor antagonist, ML221, we show that blocking APLN/APJ significantly ameliorate the BTB damage and, importantly, improve functional spermatogenesis in diabetic db/db mice. We also translate and validate these findings in cultured human testes. Our findings identify the APLN/APJ axis as a promising therapeutic target to improve reproduction capacity in male diabetic patients.
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Xiang X, Tao Y, DiRusso J, Hsu FM, Zhang J, Xue Z, Pontis J, Trono D, Liu W, Clark AT. Human reproduction is regulated by retrotransposons derived from ancient Hominidae-specific viral infections. Nat Commun 2022; 13:463. [PMID: 35075135 PMCID: PMC8786967 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28105-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ cells are essential to pass DNA from one generation to the next. In human reproduction, germ cell development begins with the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs) and a failure to specify PGCs leads to human infertility. Recent studies have revealed that the transcription factor network required for PGC specification has diverged in mammals, and this has a significant impact on our understanding of human reproduction. Here, we reveal that the Hominidae-specific Transposable Elements (TEs) LTR5Hs, may serve as TEENhancers (TE Embedded eNhancers) to facilitate PGC specification. LTR5Hs TEENhancers become transcriptionally active during PGC specification both in vivo and in vitro with epigenetic reprogramming leading to increased chromatin accessibility, localized DNA demethylation, enrichment of H3K27ac, and occupation of key hPGC transcription factors. Inactivation of LTR5Hs TEENhancers with KRAB mediated CRISPRi has a significant impact on germ cell specification. In summary, our data reveals the essential role of Hominidae-specific LTR5Hs TEENhancers in human germ cell development. The transcription factor network required for primordial germ cell (PGC) specification is known to diverge in mammals. Here the authors show that hominidae-specific transposable element (TE) LTR5Hs becomes transcriptionally active during PGC specification, and LTR5Hs inactivation abrogates human PGC specification
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Xiang
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, 718 East Haizhou Rd., Haining, 314400, China
| | - Yu Tao
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jonathan DiRusso
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.,Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Fei-Man Hsu
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jinchun Zhang
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, 718 East Haizhou Rd., Haining, 314400, China
| | - Ziwei Xue
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, 718 East Haizhou Rd., Haining, 314400, China
| | - Julien Pontis
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fe ́de ́rale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fe ́de ́rale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Wanlu Liu
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, 718 East Haizhou Rd., Haining, 314400, China. .,Department of Orthopedic Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China. .,Dr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China. .,Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future DigitalHealthcare, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
| | - Amander T Clark
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. .,Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. .,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. .,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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Nuclear Organization during Hepatogenesis in Zebrafish Requires Uhrf1. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12071081. [PMID: 34356097 PMCID: PMC8304062 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Acquisition of cellular fate during development is initiated and maintained by well-coordinated patterns of gene expression that are dictated by the epigenetic landscape and genome organization in the nucleus. While the epigenetic marks that mediate developmental gene expression patterns during organogenesis have been well studied, less is known about how epigenetic marks influence nuclear organization during development. This study examines the relationship between nuclear structure, chromatin accessibility, DNA methylation, and gene expression during hepatic outgrowth in zebrafish larvae. We investigate the relationship between these features using mutants that lack DNA methylation. Hepatocyte nuclear morphology was established coincident with hepatocyte differentiation at 80 h post-fertilization (hpf), and nuclear shape and size continued to change until the conclusion of outgrowth and morphogenesis at 120 hpf. Integrating ATAC-Seq analysis with DNA methylation profiling of zebrafish livers at 120 hpf showed that closed and highly methylated chromatin occupies most transposable elements and that open chromatin correlated with gene expression. DNA hypomethylation, due to mutation of genes encoding ubiquitin-like, containing PHD and RING Finger Domains 1 (uhrf1) and DNA methyltransferase (dnmt1), did not block hepatocyte differentiation, but had dramatic effects on nuclear organization. Hepatocytes in uhrf1 mutants have large, deformed nuclei with multiple nucleoli, downregulation of nucleolar genes, and a complete lack of the nuclear lamina. Loss of lamin B2 staining was phenocopied by dnmt1 mutation. Together, these data show that hepatocyte nuclear morphogenesis coincides with organ morphogenesis and outgrowth, and that DNA methylation directs chromatin organization, and, in turn, hepatocyte nuclear shape and size during liver development.
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