Project description:MCM8 is essential in the replication stress response to maintain genome stability during mitosis. The deficiency of MCM8 results in impaired proliferation and a prolonged cell cycle, which can decrease cell populations. To investigate the effect of MCM8 deficiency on gene expression, we conducted the RNA-seq in wildtype and Mcm8 knockout mouse embryo fibroblasts. We found that the majority of genes were co-expressed and the gene expression distribution was comparable between WT and KO MEFs, suggesting that the global transcription activity was not obviously affected after MCM8 deficiency. Analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showed they were enriched in pathways including stem cell differentiation and cell fate commitment. In addition, to determine whether MCM8 is potentially involved in regulating splicing, as strongly suggested by the MCM8 interactome, we also performed alternative splicing (AS) analysis on RNA-seq data. Our data suggested that MCM8 may not function in splicing.
Project description:We show that reduced dosage of ERF, which encodes an inhibitory ETS transcription factor directly bound by ERK1/2 , causes complex craniosynostosis (premature fusion of the cranial sutures) in humans and mice. Features of this newly recognized clinical disorder include multiple suture synostosis, craniofacial dysmorphism, Chiari malformation and language delay. Mice with functional Erf reduced to ~30% of normal exhibit postnatal multisuture synostosis; by contrast, embryonic calvarial development appears mildly delayed. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts and high-throughput sequencing, we find that ERF binds preferentially to distal regulatory elements containing RUNX or AP1 motifs. This work identifies ERF as a novel regulator of osteogenic stimulation by RAS-ERK signaling, potentially by competing with activating ETS factors in multifactor transcriptional complexes. Examination of Erf binding site in E13.5 mouse embryo fibroblasts, growing in the presence or absence of serum for 4 hours
Project description:Mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) closely resemble mouse embryos and are convenient sources for biochemical studies when cell number may be limiting from mouse embryos. To derive the imprinting signature of MEFs and potentially detect novel imprinted genes we characterized them using strand- and allele-specific RNA deep sequencing. We used Sequenom allelotyping in embryo and adult organs to verify parental allele-specific expression patterns. We found correct parental allele-specific transcription of 32 known ubiquitously imprinted genes in MEFs. Our analysis did not reveal any novel imprinted genes in MEFs, but detected extended parental allele-specific transcription in several known imprinted domains: maternal allele-specific transcription downstream of Grb10 and downstream of Meg3, Rtl1as and Rian in the Dlk1-Dio3 cluster, an imprinted domain implicated in development. We detected paternal allele-specific transcription downstream of Nespas, Peg3, Peg12 and Snurf/Snrpn. These imprinted transcript extensions were not unique to MEFs, but were also present in other somatic cells. Their 5’ end points did not carry opposing chromatin marks or parental allele-specific DNA methylation, suggesting that their parental allele-specific transcription is under the control of the extended genes. Based on the imprinting signature of MEFs, they provide valid models for understanding the biochemical aspects of genomic imprinting. Strand-specific and parental allele-specific RNA-seq was done in female mouse embryo fibroblasts.