The homeobox transcription factor DUXBL controls exit from totipotency
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: In mice, exit from the totipotent 2-cell (2C) embryo stage requires silencing of the 2C-associated transcriptional program. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in this process remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the 2C-specific transcription factor DUX mediates an essential negative feedback loop by inducing the expression of DUXBL to promote this silencing.We show that DUXBL gains accessibility to DUX-bound regions specifically upon DUX expression.Furthermore, we determine that DUXBL interacts with TRIM24 and TRIM33, members of the tripartite motif superfamily involved in gene silencing and co-localizes with them in nuclear foci upon DUX expression. Importantly, DUXBL overexpression impairs 2C-associated transcription, whereas Duxbl inactivation in ESC increases DUX-dependent induction of the 2C-transcriptional program. Consequently, DUXBL deficiency in embryos results in sustained expression of 2C-associated transcripts, leading to early developmental arrest.Our study identifies DUXBL as an essential regulator of totipotency exit enabling the first divergence of cell fates.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE234053 | GEO | 2023/12/07
REPOSITORIES: GEO
ACCESS DATA