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A single-cell CRISPR screen defines a gene regulatory network governing human pluripotency in primed and naïve cells

ABSTRACT: Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can give rise to the three embryonic germ layers and possess a limitless propagation potential. We have previously defined the essentialome of hPSCs through a genome-wide CRISPR screen, but the function of each essential gene is still obscure. Here, we uncovered the role of pluripotent-specific transcription factors (TFs) that are essential in hPSCs, using a pooled CRISPR screen combined with single-cell transcriptomics. We show that most of these TFs form a remarkably interconnected gene regulatory network (GRN), controlling multiple aspects of pluripotency, spanning regulation of differentiation, self-renewal, cell survival, and expression of transposable elements. Interestingly, various TFs function as positive regulators of pluripotency, serving as gatekeepers from differentiation, and preventing transition into different cell lineages in a TF-specific manner. Surprisingly, other TFs inhibit the pluripotency network, potentially balancing its maintenance with responsiveness to differentiation cues, which we could validate through individual gene knockouts. Finally, by perturbing the TFs network in naïve cells, we reveal both shared and distinct roles for the GRN between the two pluripotency states. In summary, this analysis enabled the construction of an extended network for human pluripotency. This study sheds new light on principles in early human development and can hopefully be used to enhance the use of hPSCs for disease modelling or cell therapy.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE303158 | GEO | 2026/02/11

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Chavez2009 - a core regulatory network of OCT4 in human embryonic stem cells A core OCT4-regulated network has been identified as a test case, to analyase stem cell characteristics and cellular differentiation. This model is described in the article: In silico identification of a core regulatory network of OCT4 in human embryonic stem cells using an integrated approach. Chavez L, Bais AS, Vingron M, Lehrach H, Adjaye J, Herwig R BMC Genomics, 2009, 10:314 Abstract: BACKGROUND: The transcription factor OCT4 is highly expressed in pluripotent embryonic stem cells which are derived from the inner cell mass of mammalian blastocysts. Pluripotency and self renewal are controlled by a transcription regulatory network governed by the transcription factors OCT4, SOX2 and NANOG. Recent studies on reprogramming somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells highlight OCT4 as a key regulator of pluripotency. RESULTS: We have carried out an integrated analysis of high-throughput data (ChIP-on-chip and RNAi experiments along with promoter sequence analysis of putative target genes) and identified a core OCT4 regulatory network in human embryonic stem cells consisting of 33 target genes. Enrichment analysis with these target genes revealed that this integrative analysis increases the functional information content by factors of 1.3 - 4.7 compared to the individual studies. In order to identify potential regulatory co-factors of OCT4, we performed a de novo motif analysis. In addition to known validated OCT4 motifs we obtained binding sites similar to motifs recognized by further regulators of pluripotency and development; e.g. the heterodimer of the transcription factors C-MYC and MAX, a prerequisite for C-MYC transcriptional activity that leads to cell growth and proliferation. CONCLUSION: Our analysis shows how heterogeneous functional information can be integrated in order to reconstruct gene regulatory networks. As a test case we identified a core OCT4-regulated network that is important for the analysis of stem cell characteristics and cellular differentiation. Functional information is largely enriched using different experimental results. The de novo motif discovery identified well-known regulators closely connected to the OCT4 network as well as potential new regulators of pluripotency and differentiation. These results provide the basis for further targeted functional studies. This model is hosted on BioModels Database and identified by: MODEL1305010000 . To cite BioModels Database, please use: BioModels Database: An enhanced, curated and annotated resource for published quantitative kinetic models . To the extent possible under law, all copyright and related or neighbouring rights to this encoded model have been dedicated to the public domain worldwide. Please refer to CC0 Public Domain Dedication for more information.

Project description:Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) tend to acquire genomic aberrations in culture, the most common of which is the trisomy of chromosome 12. Interestingly, trisomy 12 is also prevalent in germ cell tumors (GCTs). Here, we aimed to dissect the cellular and molecular implications of trisomy 12 in hPSCs. A genome-wide gene expression analysis revealed that trisomy 12 profoundly affects the global gene expression profile of hPSCs, inducing a transcriptional program very similar to that of CGTs. Direct comparison of the proliferation, replication, differentiation and apoptosis between diploid and aneuploid hPSCs revealed that trisomy 12 significantly increases the proliferation rate of hPSCs. Increased replication largely accounts for the increased proliferation observed, and may explain the selection advantage that trisomy 12 confers to hPSCs. A comparison of the tumors induced by diploid and aneuploid hPSCs further demonstrated that trisomy 12 increases the tumorigenicity of hPSCs, inducing transcriptionally-distinct teratomas, from which pluripotent cells can be recovered. Lastly, a chemical screen of 89 anticancer drugs against diploid and aneuploid hPSCs discovered that trisomy 12 raises the sensitivity of hPSCs to several replication inhibitors, suggesting that the increased proliferation and tumorigenicity of these aberrant cells also makes them more vulnerable, and might potentially be used for their selective elimination from culture. Together, our findings demonstrate the extensive effect of trisomy 12 on the gene expression signature and on the cellular behavior of hPSCs, and highlight the danger posed by this trisomy for the successful use of hPSCs in basic research and in regenerative medicine. Expression data from diploid and aneuoploid human pluripotent stem cells, teratomas derived from them, and pluripotent-like cells recovered from these teratomas total RNA was isolated from undifferentiated human pluripotent stem cells grown under standard human ES conditions, or from teratomas derived from them, or from ES-like cells recovered from these teratomas.

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A single-cell CRISPR screen defines a gene regulatory network governing human pluripotency in primed and naïve cells

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