Project description:Serine/threonine kinase 40 (Stk40) was previously identified as a direct target gene of pluripotency-associated transcription factor Oct4 and its overexpression could facilitate differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) towards the extraembryonic endoderm. Stk40-/- mice are lethal at the perinatal stage, displaying multiple organ failures. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological functions of Stk40 remain elusive. Here, we report that Stk40 ablation compromises the mesoderm differentiation from mESCs in vitro and in embryos. Mechanistically, Stk40 interacts with both mammalian constitutive photomorphogenic protein 1 (Cop1) and c-Jun, promoting degradation of c-Jun. Consequently, Stk40 knockout leads to c-Jun protein accumulation, which, in turn, might suppress the Wnt signaling activity and impair the mesoderm differentiation process. Overall, this study reveals that Stk40, together with Cop1, represent a novel axis for modulating c-Jun protein levels within an appropriate range during mesoderm differentiation from mESCs. Our finding provides new insight into the molecular mechanism regulating c-Jun protein stability and may have potential for managing related cellular disorders.
Project description:Stem cell-derived tissues have wide potential for modelling developmental and pathological processes as well as cell-based therapy. However, it has proven difficult to generate several key cell types in vitro, including skeletal muscle. In vertebrates, skeletal muscles derive during embryogenesis from the presomitic mesoderm (PSM). Using PSM development as a guide, we establish conditions for the differentiation of monolayer cultures of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells into PSM-like cells without the introduction of transgenes or cell sorting. We differentiated mouse ESCs in serum-free medium supplemented with Rspo3 ( or as an alternative with Chir 9902) and the Bmp inhibitor LDN193189. In vivo, the PSM cells are first expressing Msgn1 (posterior PSM marker) and then mature to express Pax3 (anterior PSM marker). After 4 days of differentiation of mESCs, Msgn1-positive cells were FACS-sorted and their transcriptome analyzed. After 6 days of differentiation, Pax3-positive cells were sorted and their transcriptome analyzed. Mouse ESCs differentiated for 0, 4 and 6 days in serum-free medium containing a Wnt activator, a BMP inhibitor and DMSO, to study paraxial mesoderm in vitro
Project description:Tbx3, a member of the T-box family, plays important roles in development, stem cells, nuclear reprogramming and cancer. Loss of Tbx3 induces differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). However, we show that mESCs exist in an alternate stable pluripotent state in the absence of Tbx3. In-depth transcriptome analysis of this mESC state reveals Dppa3 as a direct downstream target of Tbx3. Also Tbx3 facilitates the cell fate transition from pluripotent cells to mesoderm progenitors by directly repressing Wnt pathway members required for differentiation. Wnt signaling regulates differentiation of mESCs into mesoderm progenitors and helps maintain a naïve pluripotent state. We show that Tbx3, a downstream target of Wnt signaling, fine-tunes these divergent roles of Wnt signaling in mESCs. In conclusion, we identify a signaling-TF axis that controls the exit of mESCs from a self-renewing pluripotent state towards mesoderm differentiation. ChIPSeq and RNASeq (population and single cell) was performed on the indicated cell lines. Replicates are indicated as needed. The mm9 genome assembly was used. For single cell mRNA-Seq preparation, SSEA1+DAPI- mESCs were sorted and collected.
Project description:Laser capture microdissection (LCM) was used to isolate cells from the principal critical micro-regions, whose development, differentiation and signaling interactions are responsible for the construction of the mammalian face. At E8.5, as migrating neural crest cells begin to exit the neural fold/epidermal ectoderm boundary, we examined the facial mesenchyme, composed of neural crest and paraxial mesoderm cells, as well as cells from adjacent neuroepithelium We performed single cell studies to better define the gene expression states of the early E8.5 pioneer neural crest cells and paraxial mesoderm, and present microarray data detailing expression patterns within these embryonic cell populations. Mouse emrbyos were harvested at developmental stage E8.5 and single cells were captured from the neuroepithilium, neural crest, and paraxial mesoderm. RNA was extracted, labelled, and quantified using the Mouse ST-l microarray.
Project description:Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells (mESCs) were differentiated with EB formation and characterized with Flk1 and PDGFαR specific antibodies. miRNA profile of lateral mesodermal cells, paraxial mesodermal cells, DN (Double negative) and DP (Double positive) populations were firstly determined and effects of differentially expressed miRNAs transfected transiently on EB formation, and myogenic and hematopoietic differentiation potential were assessed.
Project description:Tbx3, a member of the T-box family, plays important roles in development, stem cells, nuclear reprogramming and cancer. Loss of Tbx3 induces differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). However, we show that mESCs exist in an alternate stable pluripotent state in the absence of Tbx3. In-depth transcriptome analysis of this mESC state reveals Dppa3 as a direct downstream target of Tbx3. Also Tbx3 facilitates the cell fate transition from pluripotent cells to mesoderm progenitors by directly repressing Wnt pathway members required for differentiation. Wnt signaling regulates differentiation of mESCs into mesoderm progenitors and helps maintain a naïve pluripotent state. We show that Tbx3, a downstream target of Wnt signaling, fine-tunes these divergent roles of Wnt signaling in mESCs. In conclusion, we identify a signaling-TF axis that controls the exit of mESCs from a self-renewing pluripotent state towards mesoderm differentiation.
Project description:Transcriptomic landscape of developing Presomitic Mesoderm (PSM) from Tailbud to somite in E9.5 mouse embryo and in in vitro differentiated Paraxial mesoderm derived from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs).
Project description:Pluripotent stem cells can give rise to the three embryonic germ layers and the characterization of their properties is crucial to exploit their therapeutic potential. Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) are isolated and usually maintained in vitro in a primed state that resembles the post-implantation epiblast features. Furthermore, primed mESCs can be de-differentiated to a naive state that resembles the pre-implantation inner cell mass (ICM). Cell differentiation or genotoxic stress, among others, can alter DNA replication, which is a flexible process able to adapt to different cellular contexts. Here, we demonstrate that primed-to-naive mESC reprogramming triggers replication fork slowdown, increased fork asymmetry and a compensatory activation of dormant origins. Using iPOND (“isolation of proteins on nascent DNA”) coupled to mass spectrometry we have characterized the changes in replisome composition between naive and primed mESCs. Several DNA repair factors, including MRE11 nuclease, are enriched in naive mESCs forks, while factors involved in ubiquitin-dependent protein metabolism are enriched in primed mESC forks. We report that primed-to-naive mESC de-differentiation promotes recruitment of MRE11 to the forks in response to transcription-replication conflicts, underlying the DNA replication rewiring required for efficient mESC reprogramming.
Project description:Brown adipocytes (BAs) are a potential therapeutic cell source for the treatment of metabolic disease such as type 2 diabetes. In this report, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are subject to directed differentiation to brown dipocytes through a paraxial mesoderm intermediate at high-efficiency. RNA-Seq and ATAC-seq was performed to characterized hPSCs derived paraxial mesoderm and brown adipocytes generated in this study.