Project description:Appropriate neural initiation of the pluripotent stem cells in the early embryos is critical for the development of the central nervous system. This process is regulated by the coordination of extrinsic signals and intrinsic programs. However, how the coordination is achieved to ensure proper neural fate commitment is largely unknown. Here, taking advantage of genome-wide ChIP-sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses, we demonstrate that the transcriptional factor Pou3f1 is an upstream activator of neural-promoting genes, and it is able to repress neural-inhibitory signals as well. Further studies revealed that Pou3f1 could directly bind neural lineage genes like Sox2 and downstream targets of neural inhibition signaling such as BMP and Wnt. Our results thus identify Pou3f1 as a critical dual-regulator of the intrinsic transcription factors and the extrinsic cellular signals during neural fate commitment. ChIP-seq assay was ultilized to characterize the targets of Pou3f1 on ESC differentiation day 2.
Project description:Appropriate neural initiation of the pluripotent stem cells in the early embryos is critical for the development of the central nervous system. This process is regulated by the coordination of extrinsic signals and intrinsic programs. However, how the coordination is achieved to ensure proper neural fate commitment is largely unknown. Here, taking advantage of genome-wide ChIP-sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses, we demonstrate that the transcriptional factor Pou3f1 is an upstream activator of neural-promoting genes, and it is able to repress neural-inhibitory signals as well. Further studies revealed that Pou3f1 could directly bind neural lineage genes like Sox2 and downstream targets of neural inhibition signaling such as BMP and Wnt. Our results thus identify Pou3f1 as a critical dual-regulator of the intrinsic transcription factors and the extrinsic cellular signals during neural fate commitment.
Project description:The neural fate commitment of pluripotent stem cells requires repression of extrinsic inhibitory signals and activation of intrinsic positive transcription factors. However, it remains elusive how these two events are integrated to ensure appropriate neural conversion. Here, we show that Oct6 functions as an essential positive factor for neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), specifically during the transition from epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) to neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Chimera analysis showed that Oct6 knockdown leads to markedly decreased incorporation of ESC in neuroectoderm. By contrast, Oct6-overexpressing ESC derivatives preferentially contribute to neuroectoderm. Genome-wide ChIP-seq and RNA-seq analyses indicate that Oct6 is an upstream activator of neural lineage genes, and also a repressor of BMP and Wnt signalings. Our results establish Oct6 as a critical regulator that promotes neural commitment of pluripotent stem cells through a dual role: activating internal neural induction programs and antagonizing extrinsic neural inhibitory signals. RNA-seq was performed to examine Oct6 function in ESC neural differentiation at Day2, Day4 and Day6 after dox induction. On Day4 EB, ChIP-seq assay was ultilized to characterize the targets of Oct6.
Project description:The neural fate commitment of pluripotent stem cells requires repression of extrinsic inhibitory signals and activation of intrinsic positive transcription factors. However, it remains elusive how these two events are integrated to ensure appropriate neural conversion. Here, we show that Oct6 functions as an essential positive factor for neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), specifically during the transition from epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) to neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Chimera analysis showed that Oct6 knockdown leads to markedly decreased incorporation of ESC in neuroectoderm. By contrast, Oct6-overexpressing ESC derivatives preferentially contribute to neuroectoderm. Genome-wide ChIP-seq and RNA-seq analyses indicate that Oct6 is an upstream activator of neural lineage genes, and also a repressor of BMP and Wnt signalings. Our results establish Oct6 as a critical regulator that promotes neural commitment of pluripotent stem cells through a dual role: activating internal neural induction programs and antagonizing extrinsic neural inhibitory signals.
Project description:Genome-wide mapping of transcriptional regulatory elements are essential tools for the understanding of the molecular events orchestrating self-renewal, commitment and differentiation of stem cells. We combined high-throughput identification of nascent, Pol-II-transcribed RNAs by Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE-Seq) with genome-wide profiling of histones modifications by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq) to map active promoters and enhancers in a model of human neural commitment, represented by embryonic stem cells (ESCs) induced to differentiate into self-renewing neuroepithelial-like stem cells (NESC). We integrated CAGE-seq, ChIP-seq and gene expression profiles to discover shared or cell-specific regulatory elements, transcription start sites and transcripts associated to the transition from pluripotent to neural-restricted stem cell. Our analysis showed that >90% of the promoters are in common between the two cell types, while approximately half of the enhancers are cell-specific and account for most of the epigenetic changes occurring during neural induction, and most likely for the modulation of the promoters to generate cell-specific gene expression programs. Interestingly, the majority of the promoters activated or up-regulated during neural induction have a “bivalent” histone modification signature in ESCs, suggesting that developmentally-regulated promoters are already poised for transcription in ESCs, which are apparently pre-committed to neuroectodermal differentiation. Overall, our study provide a collection of differentially used enhancers, promoters, transcription starts sites, protein-coding and non-coding RNAs in human ESCs and ESC-derived NESCs, and a broad, genome-wide description of promoter and enhancer usage and gene expression programs occurring in the transition from a pluripotent to a neural-restricted cell fate. Genome-wide mapping of H3K4me1 and H3K4me3 in NESCs ChIP-seq for H3K4me1 and H3K4me3 in NESCs
Project description:Genome-wide mapping of transcriptional regulatory elements are essential tools for the understanding of the molecular events orchestrating self-renewal, commitment and differentiation of stem cells. We combined high-throughput identification of nascent, Pol-II-transcribed RNAs by Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE-Seq) with genome-wide profiling of histones modifications by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq) to map active promoters and enhancers in a model of human neural commitment, represented by embryonic stem cells (ESCs) induced to differentiate into self-renewing neuroepithelial-like stem cells (NESC). We integrated CAGE-seq, ChIP-seq and gene expression profiles to discover shared or cell-specific regulatory elements, transcription start sites and transcripts associated to the transition from pluripotent to neural-restricted stem cell. Our analysis showed that >90% of the promoters are in common between the two cell types, while approximately half of the enhancers are cell-specific and account for most of the epigenetic changes occurring during neural induction, and most likely for the modulation of the promoters to generate cell-specific gene expression programs. Interestingly, the majority of the promoters activated or up-regulated during neural induction have a “bivalent” histone modification signature in ESCs, suggesting that developmentally-regulated promoters are already poised for transcription in ESCs, which are apparently pre-committed to neuroectodermal differentiation. Overall, our study provide a collection of differentially used enhancers, promoters, transcription starts sites, protein-coding and non-coding RNAs in human ESCs and ESC-derived NESCs, and a broad, genome-wide description of promoter and enhancer usage and gene expression programs occurring in the transition from a pluripotent to a neural-restricted cell fate. Investiagtion of promoters usage changes during ESCs neural induction ESCs and NESCs promoter usage profiling by CAGE-seq
Project description:The Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NuRD) complex plays an important role in gene expression regulation, stem cell self-renewal, and lineage commitment. Yet little is known about the dynamics of NuRD during cellular differentiation. Here, we study these dynamics using genome-wide profiling and quantitative interaction proteomics in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and neural progenitor cells (NPCs). The genomic targets of NuRD are highly dynamic during differentiation, with most binding occurring at cell-type specific promoters and enhancers. We identify ZFP296 as a novel, ESC-specific NuRD interactor that also interacts with the SIN3A complex. ChIP-sequencing in Zfp296 knockout (KO) ESCs reveals decreased NuRD binding both genome-wide and at ZFP296 binding sites, although this has little effect on the transcriptome. Nevertheless, Zfp296 KO ESCs exhibit delayed induction of lineage-specific markers upon differentiation to embryoid bodies. In summary, we identify an ESC-specific NuRD interacting protein which regulates genome-wide NuRD binding and cellular differentiation.
Project description:Genome-wide mapping of transcriptional regulatory elements are essential tools for the understanding of the molecular events orchestrating self-renewal, commitment and differentiation of stem cells. We combined high-throughput identification of nascent, Pol-II-transcribed RNAs by Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE-Seq) with genome-wide profiling of histones modifications by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq) to map active promoters and enhancers in a model of human neural commitment, represented by embryonic stem cells (ESCs) induced to differentiate into self-renewing neuroepithelial-like stem cells (NESC). We integrated CAGE-seq, ChIP-seq and gene expression profiles to discover shared or cell-specific regulatory elements, transcription start sites and transcripts associated to the transition from pluripotent to neural-restricted stem cell. Our analysis showed that >90% of the promoters are in common between the two cell types, while approximately half of the enhancers are cell-specific and account for most of the epigenetic changes occurring during neural induction, and most likely for the modulation of the promoters to generate cell-specific gene expression programs. Interestingly, the majority of the promoters activated or up-regulated during neural induction have a “bivalent” histone modification signature in ESCs, suggesting that developmentally-regulated promoters are already poised for transcription in ESCs, which are apparently pre-committed to neuroectodermal differentiation. Overall, our study provide a collection of differentially used enhancers, promoters, transcription starts sites, protein-coding and non-coding RNAs in human ESCs and ESC-derived NESCs, and a broad, genome-wide description of promoter and enhancer usage and gene expression programs occurring in the transition from a pluripotent to a neural-restricted cell fate. ESCs (H9 NIH code WA09, ISL1 Ds-Red) were kindly provided by the group of K.R. Chien. Neural differentiation was induced by the method of embryoid bodies following a published protocol [1]. Briefly, 4-days embryoid bodies were transferred to polyornithine-coated dishes and propagated in N2-supplemented DMEM/F12 (Invitrogen). Total RNA was extracted from 1-2x10^6 cells from three different cultures of ESCs and NESCs, transcribed into biotinylatedcRNA and hybridized onto GeneChip® HG-U133 Plus 2.0 Arrays (Affymetrix) according to the protocol supplied by the manufacturer (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA).
Project description:Genome-wide mapping of transcriptional regulatory elements are essential tools for the understanding of the molecular events orchestrating self-renewal, commitment and differentiation of stem cells. We combined high-throughput identification of nascent, Pol-II-transcribed RNAs by Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE-Seq) with genome-wide profiling of histones modifications by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq) to map active promoters and enhancers in a model of human neural commitment, represented by embryonic stem cells (ESCs) induced to differentiate into self-renewing neuroepithelial-like stem cells (NESC). We integrated CAGE-seq, ChIP-seq and gene expression profiles to discover shared or cell-specific regulatory elements, transcription start sites and transcripts associated to the transition from pluripotent to neural-restricted stem cell. Our analysis showed that >90% of the promoters are in common between the two cell types, while approximately half of the enhancers are cell-specific and account for most of the epigenetic changes occurring during neural induction, and most likely for the modulation of the promoters to generate cell-specific gene expression programs. Interestingly, the majority of the promoters activated or up-regulated during neural induction have a “bivalent” histone modification signature in ESCs, suggesting that developmentally-regulated promoters are already poised for transcription in ESCs, which are apparently pre-committed to neuroectodermal differentiation. Overall, our study provide a collection of differentially used enhancers, promoters, transcription starts sites, protein-coding and non-coding RNAs in human ESCs and ESC-derived NESCs, and a broad, genome-wide description of promoter and enhancer usage and gene expression programs occurring in the transition from a pluripotent to a neural-restricted cell fate. Investiagtion of promoters usage changes during ESCs neural induction