Specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs) marks the beginning of the totipotent state. However, without a tractable experimental model, the mechanism of human PGC (hPGC) specification remains ...unclear. Here, we demonstrate specification of hPGC-like cells (hPGCLCs) from germline competent pluripotent stem cells. The characteristics of hPGCLCs are consistent with the embryonic hPGCs and a germline seminoma that share a CD38 cell-surface marker, which collectively defines likely progression of the early human germline. Remarkably, SOX17 is the key regulator of hPGC-like fate, whereas BLIMP1 represses endodermal and other somatic genes during specification of hPGCLCs. Notable mechanistic differences between mouse and human PGC specification could be attributed to their divergent embryonic development and pluripotent states, which might affect other early cell-fate decisions. We have established a foundation for future studies on resetting of the epigenome in hPGCLCs and hPGCs for totipotency and the transmission of genetic and epigenetic information.
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•A defined model for hPGCLC specification from germline-competent hESCs•Expression profiles of hPGCLCs match with authentic hPGCs•SOX17 is the key regulator of hPGCLC•CD38 glycoprotein is a cell-surface marker of the human germline
Different from that in mice, SOX17 is the key regulator for human primordial germ cell specification, suggesting fundamental differences between early mouse and human development.
Direct reprogramming of somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells by ectopic expression of defined transcription factors has raised fundamental questions regarding the epigenetic stability of ...the differentiated cell state. In addition, evidence has accumulated that distinct states of pluripotency can interconvert through the modulation of both cell-intrinsic and exogenous factors. To fully realize the potential of in vitro reprogrammed cells, we need to understand the molecular and epigenetic determinants that convert one cell type into another. Here we review recent advances in this rapidly moving field and emphasize unresolved and controversial questions.
The molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways that regulate the in vitro preservation of distinct pluripotent stem cell configurations, and their induction in somatic cells by direct ...reprogramming, constitute a highly exciting area of research. In this Review, we integrate recent discoveries related to isolating unique naive and primed pluripotent stem cell states with altered functional and molecular characteristics, and from different species. We provide an overview of the pathways underlying pluripotent state transitions and interconversion in vitro and in vivo. We conclude by highlighting unresolved key questions, future directions and potential novel applications of such dynamic pluripotent cell states.
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant modification on mRNA and is implicated in critical roles in development, physiology, and disease. A major limitation has been the inability to quantify ...m6A stoichiometry and the lack of antibody-independent methodologies for interrogating m6A. Here, we develop MAZTER-seq for systematic quantitative profiling of m6A at single-nucleotide resolution at 16%–25% of expressed sites, building on differential cleavage by an RNase. MAZTER-seq permits validation and de novo discovery of m6A sites, calibration of the performance of antibody-based approaches, and quantitative tracking of m6A dynamics in yeast gametogenesis and mammalian differentiation. We discover that m6A stoichiometry is “hard coded” in cis via a simple and predictable code, accounting for 33%–46% of the variability in methylation levels and allowing accurate prediction of m6A loss and acquisition events across evolution. MAZTER-seq allows quantitative investigation of m6A regulation in subcellular fractions, diverse cell types, and disease states.
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•RNA digestion via m6A sensitive RNase (MAZTER-seq) allows systematic m6A quantitation•MAZTER-seq reveals that antibody-based methods are of limited sensitivity•m6A stoichiometry is “hard coded” by a simple, predictable, and conserved code•MAZTER-seq allows quantitative tracking of m6A in diverse biological settings
A new enzymatic approach for precise mapping and measurement of m6A within mRNAs provides insight into how methylation sites are selected and the functional impact of the modifications.
In vitro cultured stem cells with distinct developmental capacities can contribute to embryonic or extraembryonic tissues after microinjection into pre-implantation mammalian embryos. However, ...whether cultured stem cells can independently give rise to entire gastrulating embryo-like structures with embryonic and extraembryonic compartments remains unknown. Here, we adapt a recently established platform for prolonged ex utero growth of natural embryos to generate mouse post-gastrulation synthetic whole embryo models (sEmbryos), with both embryonic and extraembryonic compartments, starting solely from naive ESCs. This was achieved by co-aggregating non-transduced ESCs, with naive ESCs transiently expressing Cdx2 or Gata4 to promote their priming toward trophectoderm and primitive endoderm lineages, respectively. sEmbryos adequately accomplish gastrulation, advance through key developmental milestones, and develop organ progenitors within complex extraembryonic compartments similar to E8.5 stage mouse embryos. Our findings highlight the plastic potential of naive pluripotent cells to self-organize and functionally reconstitute and model the entire mammalian embryo beyond gastrulation.
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•Advanced synthetic embryos (sEmbryos) self-assembled from ESCs in an ex utero setup•Naive ESCs give rise to all embryonic and extraembryonic compartments in sEmbryos•Post-gastrulation stem cell derived sEmbryos develop organ-specific progenitors•Extraembryonic compartments adequately develop in post-gastrulation whole sEmbryos
Post-gastrulation stages of development with organ progenitors and complex extra-embryonic compartments are achieved ex utero entirely from assembled naive mouse embryonic stem cells.
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and N6,2′-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am) are abundant mRNA modifications that regulate transcript processing and translation. The role of both, here termed m6A/m, in the stress ...response in the adult brain in vivo is currently unknown. Here, we provide a detailed analysis of the stress epitranscriptome using m6A/m-seq, global and gene-specific m6A/m measurements. We show that stress exposure and glucocorticoids region and time specifically alter m6A/m and its regulatory network. We demonstrate that deletion of the methyltransferase Mettl3 or the demethylase Fto in adult neurons alters the m6A/m epitranscriptome, increases fear memory, and changes the transcriptome response to fear and synaptic plasticity. Moreover, we report that regulation of m6A/m is impaired in major depressive disorder patients following glucocorticoid stimulation. Our findings indicate that brain m6A/m represents a novel layer of complexity in gene expression regulation after stress and that dysregulation of the m6A/m response may contribute to the pathophysiology of stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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•m6A/m mRNA methylation in the adult mouse brain is regulated by stress•m6A/m mRNA regulation is brain region, time, and gene specific•Mettl3 and Fto cKO alter m6A/m, fear memory, expression, and synaptic plasticity•The m6A/m glucocorticoid response is impaired in major depressive disorder patients
Engel et al. demonstrate a region- and time-dependent role of brain m6A/m methylation in stress-response regulation. Manipulating m6A/m alters fear memory, transcriptome response, and synaptic plasticity. Altered m6A/m dynamics in depressed patients suggest importance of m6A/m modifications for stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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-Methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is the most prevalent internal posttranscriptional modification on mammalian mRNA. The role of m6A mRNA methylation in the heart is not known.
To determine the ...role of m6A methylation in the heart, we isolated primary cardiomyocytes and performed m6A immunoprecipitation followed by RNA sequencing. We then generated genetic tools to modulate m6A levels in cardiomyocytes by manipulating the levels of the m6A RNA methylase methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) both in culture and in vivo. We generated cardiac-restricted gain- and loss-of-function mouse models to allow assessment of the METTL3-m6A pathway in cardiac homeostasis and function.
We measured the level of m6A methylation on cardiomyocyte mRNA, and found a significant increase in response to hypertrophic stimulation, suggesting a potential role for m6A methylation in the development of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Analysis of m6A methylation showed significant enrichment in genes that regulate kinases and intracellular signaling pathways. Inhibition of METTL3 completely abrogated the ability of cardiomyocytes to undergo hypertrophy when stimulated to grow, whereas increased expression of the m6A RNA methylase METTL3 was sufficient to promote cardiomyocyte hypertrophy both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, cardiac-specific METTL3 knockout mice exhibit morphological and functional signs of heart failure with aging and stress, showing the necessity of RNA methylation for the maintenance of cardiac homeostasis.
Our study identified METTL3-mediated methylation of mRNA on N
-adenosines as a dynamic modification that is enhanced in response to hypertrophic stimuli and is necessary for a normal hypertrophic response in cardiomyocytes. Enhanced m6A RNA methylation results in compensated cardiac hypertrophy, whereas diminished m6A drives eccentric cardiomyocyte remodeling and dysfunction, highlighting the critical importance of this novel stress-response mechanism in the heart for maintaining normal cardiac function.
We compared two genetically highly defined transgenic systems to identify parameters affecting reprogramming of somatic cells to a pluripotent state. Our results demonstrate that the level and ...stoichiometry of reprogramming factors during the reprogramming process strongly influence the resulting pluripotency of iPS cells. High expression of Oct4 and Klf4 combined with lower expression of c-Myc and Sox2 produced iPS cells that efficiently generated “all-iPSC mice” by tetraploid (4n) complementation, maintained normal imprinting at the
Dlk1-
Dio3 locus, and did not create mice with tumors. Loss of imprinting (LOI) at the
Dlk1-Dio3 locus did not strictly correlate with reduced pluripotency though the efficiency of generating “all-iPSC mice” was diminished. Our data indicate that stoichiometry of reprogramming factors can influence epigenetic and biological properties of iPS cells. This concept complicates efforts to define a “generic” epigenetic state of iPSCs and ESCs and should be considered when comparing different iPS and ES cell lines.
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► Optimal reprogramming factor stoichiometry yields high-quality iPSCs ► Infrequent loss of imprinting (LOI) of Dlk1-Dio3 iPSCs seen in Col1a-OSKM mice ► Adult mice from Col1a1-OSKM iPSCs do not develop tumors ► Dlk1-Dio3 LOI is not an absolute marker for reduced pluripotency
Stress granules (SGs) are cytoplasmic assemblies of proteins and non-translating mRNAs. Whereas much has been learned about SG formation, a major gap remains in understanding the compositional ...changes SGs undergo during normal disassembly and under disease conditions. Here, we address this gap by proteomic dissection of the SG temporal disassembly sequence using multi-bait APEX proximity proteomics. We discover 109 novel SG proteins and characterize distinct SG substructures. We reveal dozens of disassembly-engaged proteins (DEPs), some of which play functional roles in SG disassembly, including small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) conjugating enzymes. We further demonstrate that SUMOylation regulates SG disassembly and SG formation. Parallel proteomics with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-associated C9ORF72 dipeptides uncovered attenuated DEP recruitment during SG disassembly and impaired SUMOylation. Accordingly, SUMO activity ameliorated C9ORF72-ALS-related neurodegeneration in Drosophila. By dissecting the SG spatiotemporal proteomic landscape, we provide an in-depth resource for future work on SG function and reveal basic and disease-relevant mechanisms of SG disassembly.
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•Resource of SG spatiotemporal proteomic landscape by multi-bait proximity labeling•Distinct substructures and >100 novel SG proteins•Disassembly-engaged proteins (DEPs) coordinate SG disassembly•SUMOylation controls SG dynamics and is dysregulated in models of C9orf72-ALS
Marmor-Kollet et al. utilize proximity proteomics to identify stress granule composition, internal organization, and mechanisms of regulated disassembly in health and disease. Disassembly-engaged proteins (DEPs), including SUMO-conjugating enzymes, are critical for normal stress granule disassembly and dysregulated in ALS-like conditions.
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