Project description:DNA methylation and other repressive epigenetic marks are erased genome-wide in mammalian primordial germ cells (PGCs), the early embryo and in naïve embryonic stem cells (ESCs). This is a critical phase for transposon element (TE) defense since presumably alternative pathways need to be employed to limit their activity. It has been reported that pervasive transcription is enriched for TEs in ESCs in comparison to somatic cells. Here we test the hypothesis that pervasive transcription overlapping TEs forms a sensor for loss of their transcriptional repression. Overlapping sense and antisense transcription is found in TEs, and the increase of sense transcription induced by acute deletion of DNMT1 leads to the emergence of small RNAs. These small RNAs are loaded into ARGONAUTE 2 suggesting an endosiRNA mechanism for transposon silencing. Indeed, deletion of DICER reveals this mechanism to be important for silencing of certain transposon classes, while others are additionally repressed by deposition of repressive histone marks. Our observations suggest that pervasive transcription overlapping with TEs resulting in endosiRNAs is a transposon sensor that restrains their activity during epigenetic reprogramming in the germline.
Project description:DNA methylation and other repressive epigenetic marks are erased genome-wide in mammalian primordial germ cells (PGCs), the early embryo and in naïve embryonic stem cells (ESCs). This is a critical phase for transposon element (TE) defense since presumably alternative pathways need to be employed to limit their activity. It has been reported that pervasive transcription is enriched for TEs in ESCs in comparison to somatic cells. Here we test the hypothesis that pervasive transcription overlapping TEs forms a sensor for loss of their transcriptional repression. Overlapping sense and antisense transcription is found in TEs, and the increase of sense transcription induced by acute deletion of DNMT1 leads to the emergence of small RNAs. These small RNAs are loaded into ARGONAUTE 2 suggesting an endosiRNA mechanism for transposon silencing. Indeed, deletion of DICER reveals this mechanism to be important for silencing of certain transposon classes, while others are additionally repressed by deposition of repressive histone marks. Our observations suggest that pervasive transcription overlapping with TEs resulting in endosiRNAs is a transposon sensor that restrains their activity during epigenetic reprogramming in the germline.
Project description:DNA methylation and other repressive epigenetic marks are erased genome-wide in mammalian primordial germ cells (PGCs), the early embryo and in naïve embryonic stem cells (ESCs). This is a critical phase for transposon element (TE) defense since presumably alternative pathways need to be employed to limit their activity. It has been reported that pervasive transcription is enriched for TEs in ESCs in comparison to somatic cells. Here we test the hypothesis that pervasive transcription overlapping TEs forms a sensor for loss of their transcriptional repression. Overlapping sense and antisense transcription is found in TEs, and the increase of sense transcription induced by acute deletion of DNMT1 leads to the emergence of small RNAs. These small RNAs are loaded into ARGONAUTE 2 suggesting an endosiRNA mechanism for transposon silencing. Indeed, deletion of DICER reveals this mechanism to be important for silencing of certain transposon classes, while others are additionally repressed by deposition of repressive histone marks. Our observations suggest that pervasive transcription overlapping with TEs resulting in endosiRNAs is a transposon sensor that restrains their activity during epigenetic reprogramming in the germline.
Project description:DNA methylation and other repressive epigenetic marks are erased genome-wide in mammalian primordial germ cells (PGCs), the early embryo and in naïve embryonic stem cells (ESCs). This is a critical phase for transposon element (TE) defense since presumably alternative pathways need to be employed to limit their activity. It has been reported that pervasive transcription is enriched for TEs in ESCs in comparison to somatic cells. Here we test the hypothesis that pervasive transcription overlapping TEs forms a sensor for loss of their transcriptional repression. Overlapping sense and antisense transcription is found in TEs, and the increase of sense transcription induced by acute deletion of DNMT1 leads to the emergence of small RNAs. These small RNAs are loaded into ARGONAUTE 2 suggesting an endosiRNA mechanism for transposon silencing. Indeed, deletion of DICER reveals this mechanism to be important for silencing of certain transposon classes, while others are additionally repressed by deposition of repressive histone marks. Our observations suggest that pervasive transcription overlapping with TEs resulting in endosiRNAs is a transposon sensor that restrains their activity during epigenetic reprogramming in the germline.
Project description:<p>For the NIH Roadmap Epigenomics project, we applied ChlP-Seq, HTBS and WGBS pipelines to generate comprehensive high-resolution maps of chromatin state and DNA methylation for 100 diverse cell types. Cell types were selected for their biological and medical importance, and for their potential to maximize the comprehensiveness of acquired epigenomic data. They include human ES cells, ES-derived cells, mesenchymal stem cells, reprogrammed stem cells and primary tissues. Comprehensive characterization of epigenetic marks ("the epigenome") is a critical step towards a global understanding of the human genome in health and disease. In this study we provide unprecedented views of the human epigenetic landscape and its variation across cell states, which offer fundamental insight into the functions and interrelationships of epigenetic marks, and provide a framework for future studies of normal and diseased epigenomes.</p> <p><b>The Roadmap Epigenomics Broad cohort is utilized in the following dbGaP sub-study.</b> To view molecular data and derived variables collected in this sub-study, please click on the following sub-study below or in the "Sub-studies" box located on the right hand side of this top-level study page <a href="study.cgi?study_id=phs000700">phs000700</a> the Roadmap Epigenomics Broad cohort. <ul> <li><a href="study.cgi?study_id=phs000610">phs000610</a> RM_Epigenomics_Broad_Alz</li> </ul> </p>
Project description:Self-renewal circuitry in embryonic stem (ES) cells is increasingly defined. How the robust pluripotency programme is dissolved to enable fate transition is less appreciated. We developed a forward genetic approach using haploid ES cells. We created libraries of transposon integrations and screened for persistent self-renewal in differentiation permissive culture. This yielded multiple mutants in the FGF/Erk and GSK3/Tcf3 modules known to drive differentiation, and in epigenetic modifiers implicated in lineage commitment. We also identified and validated factors not previously considered. These include the conserved small zinc finger protein Zfp706. Loss of Zfp706 function severely delays the exit from self-renewal. To asses a potential function of Zfp706 in regulation of gene expression we compared transcription profiles between Zfp706 gene trap mutant ES cells and genetic revertants. Assessment of differentially expressed genes in Zfp706 gene trap mutants obtained in a haploid ES cell screen for effectors of ES cell differentiation vs. genetic revertants generated by Flp-e mediated excision of the gene trap cassette
Project description:<p>This study describes a novel Immune Repertoire Sequencing technique, termed Molecular Identifier Clustering-based Immune Repertoire Sequencing (MIDCIRS), to reduce sequencing error while maintaining extremely high coverage and applies this technique to investigate the differential immune response to malaria between infants and toddlers. Despite a lower somatic hypermutation load, we found an unexpectedly high level of competency within the infant antibody repertoire, particularly the ability to diversify B cell clonal lineages upon acute infection. Detailed clonal lineage analysis encompassing lineages containing sequences from both pre- and acute malaria timepoints revealed an increase in somatic hypermutations upon acute infection. Further analysis on pre-malaria memory B cell containing lineages in toddlers who had previously been exposed to malaria provides evidence for the capacity of memory B cells to continue to mutate and isotype switch.</p>