Epigenetic priming by Dppa2 and 4 in pluripotency facilitates multi-lineage commitment

Mélanie A Eckersley-Maslin, Aled Parry, Marloes Blotenburg, Christel Krueger, Yoko Ito, Valar Nila Roamio Franklin, Masashi Narita, Clive S D'Santos, Wolf Reik

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    How the epigenetic landscape is established in development is still being elucidated. Here, we uncover developmental pluripotency associated 2 and 4 (DPPA2/4) as epigenetic priming factors that establish a permissive epigenetic landscape at a subset of developmentally important bivalent promoters characterized by low expression and poised RNA-polymerase. Differentiation assays reveal that Dppa2/4 double knockout mouse embryonic stem cells fail to exit pluripotency and differentiate efficiently. DPPA2/4 bind both H3K4me3-marked and bivalent gene promoters and associate with COMPASS- and Polycomb-bound chromatin. Comparing knockout and inducible knockdown systems, we find that acute depletion of DPPA2/4 results in rapid loss of H3K4me3 from key bivalent genes, while H3K27me3 is initially more stable but lost following extended culture. Consequently, upon DPPA2/4 depletion, these promoters gain DNA methylation and are unable to be activated upon differentiation. Our findings uncover a novel epigenetic priming mechanism at developmental promoters, poising them for future lineage-specific activation.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)696-705
    Number of pages10
    JournalNature structural & molecular biology
    Volume27
    Issue number8
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Aug 2020

    Keywords

    • Animals
    • Cell Differentiation
    • Cell Line
    • Chromatin/genetics
    • DNA Methylation
    • Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4/genetics
    • Epigenesis, Genetic
    • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
    • Gene Knockout Techniques
    • Histones/genetics
    • Mice
    • Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells/cytology
    • Transcription Factors/genetics

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Epigenetic priming by Dppa2 and 4 in pluripotency facilitates multi-lineage commitment'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this