β-catenin links cell seeding density to global gene expression during mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation.

ABSTRACT: Although cell density is known to affect numerous biological processes including gene expression and cell fate specification, mechanistic understanding of what factors link cell density to global gene regulation is lacking. Here, we reveal that the expression of thousands of genes in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) is affected by cell seeding density and that low cell density enhances the efficiency of differentiation. Mechanistically, β-catenin is localized primarily to adherens junctions during both self-renewal and differentiation at high density. However, when mESCs differentiate at low density, β-catenin translocates to the nucleus and associates with Tcf7l1, inducing co-occupied lineage markers. Meanwhile, Esrrb sustains the expression of pluripotency-associated genes while repres

SUBMITTER: LeBlanc L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8689156 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature