HELQ deficiency impairs the induction of primordial germ cell-like cells.

ABSTRACT: Helicase POLQ-like (HELQ) is a DNA helicase essential for the maintenance of genome stability. A recent study identified two HELQ missense mutations in some cases of infertile men. However, the functions of HELQ in the process of germline specification are not well known and whether its function is conserved between mouse and human remains unclear. Here, we revealed that Helq knockout (Helq^-/-) could significantly reduce the efficiency of mouse primordial germ cell-like cell (PGCLC) induction. In addition, Helq^-/- embryonic bodies exhibited a severe apoptotic phenotype on day 6 of mouse PGCLC induction. p53 inhibitor treatment could partially rescue the generation of mouse PGCLCs from Helq mutant mouse embryonic stem cells. Finally, the genetic ablation of HELQ could

SUBMITTER: Wan C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11216937 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature