HELQ Maintains Genome Stability of Primordial Germ Cells by Inhibiting LINE-1 Expression.

ABSTRACT: The DNA helicase HELQ is involved in homologous recombination repair, interstrand cross-link repair, and replication stress response. Its functional defects are associated with infertility and abnormal gametogenesis. However, the specific mechanisms of HELQ in the development of germ cells remain to be elucidated. Here, we uncovered that HELQ deficiency led to proliferation defects of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in mouse embryos, thus compromising the establishment of reproductive reserve. Mechanistically, we found that HELQ interacted with the H3K9me3 demethylase KDM4B, and the absence of HELQ led to a marked increase in both total and chromatin-bound protein levels of KDM4B, resulting in reduced H3K9me3 levels in the region of the retrotransposon LINE-1, which triggered its high express

SUBMITTER: Cao L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12181813 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature