Project description:Here we performed genome-wide RNA-seq and Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (RRBS-seq) in isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and somatic cell nuclear transfer-derived embryonic stem cells (nt-ESCs), genetically matched in vitro fertilization-derived ESCs (IVF-ESCs), and their respective differentiated cells (cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells). We generated the transcriptome and DNA methylome map in human pluripotent stem cells and their differentiated cells with single-nucleotide resolution. We compared the genetic (genetic makeup) and epigenetic (reprogramming approach) influence on the gene expression and DNA methylation profiles and found that genetic composition is the major contributor of the transcriptional and epigenetic variances observed in the undifferentiated and differentiated cells originated from different reprogramming mechanisms.
Project description:Reprogramming occurs after nuclear transfer into zygotes whose genomes have been removed in mitosis, but not after nuclear transfer into zygotes enucleated in interphase. Our results suggest that there is a previously unappreciated barrier to successful human nuclear transfer, and that future studies should focus on the requirements for somatic genome activation. 1-3 embryos were used for analysis. RNA amplification was done using two or three rounds of T7-mediated RNA amplification using the Illumina Total Prep RNA Amplification kit. Somatic cells 1-000 and 1-011 required only one round of RNA amplification because starting amounts of RNA were 100-500ng, while embryonic samples were amplified from single cells or embryos.
Project description:Tet-mediated DNA oxidation is a new type of epigenetic modification in mammals and its role in the regulation of cell fate transition remains poorly understood. Here, we derive mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) deleted in all three Tet genes and examine their capability to be reprogrammed into iPS cells. We demonstrate that these Tet-deficient MEFs cannot be reprogrammed due to a blockage in the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET). Reprogramming of MEFs deficient in TDG is similarly blocked. The blockage is caused by impaired activation of crucial microRNAs, which depends on oxidative demethylation promoted by Tet and TDG. Reintroduction of either miR-200c or catalytically active Tet and TDG restores reprogramming to the respective knockout MEFs. Thus, oxidative demethylation is essential for somatic cell reprogramming. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the operation of epigenetic barriers in cell lineage conversion. Reduced Representation Bisulfite (RRBS, MspI,~75-400bp size fraction) and Tet-Assisted RRBS (TARRBS) of MEFs & reprogramming MEFs at Day 5
Project description:Somatic cells can be reprogrammed to pluripotency using different methods. In comparison to pluripotent cells obtained through somatic nuclear transfer, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) exhibit a higher number of epigenetic errors. Furthermore, most of these abnormalities have been described to be intrinsic to the iPSC technology. Here we investigate whether the aberrant epigenetic patterns detected in iPSCs are specific to transcription factor-mediated reprogramming. We used germline stem cells (GSCs), which are the only adult cell type that can be converted into pluripotent cells (gPSCs) under specific culture conditions, and compared GSC-derived iPSCs and gPSCs at the transcriptomic, epigenetic and functional level. Our results show that both reprogramming methods generate indistinguishable states of pluripotency. GSC-derived iPSCs and gPSCs retained similar levels of donor cell-type memory and exhibited comparable numbers of reprogramming errors. Therefore, our study demonstrates that the epigenetic memory detected in iPSCs is not intrinsic to transcription-factor mediated reprogramming. Total RNA from 12 different in vitro mouse cell lines, 2 technical replicates per sample: germline stem cells (GSCs, 2 independent cell lines), GSC-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs, 4 independent cell lines), germline-derived pluripotent stem cells (gPSCs, 4 independent cell lines), embryonic stem cells (ESCs), fibroblast-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (Fib-iPSCs)
Project description:Although nuclear transfer allows the reprogramming of somatic cells to totipotency, little is known concerning the kinetics by which it takes place or the minimum requirements for its success. Here, we demonstrate that reprogramming can be achieved within a few hours and a single cell-cycle as long as two key constraints on reprogramming are satisfied. First, the recipient cell chromosomes must be removed during mitosis. Second, the nuclear envelope of the donor cell must be broken down and its chromosomes condensed, allowing an embryonic nucleus to be constructed around the incoming chromosomes. If these requirements are not met, then reprogramming fails and embryonic development arrests. These results point to a central role for processes intimately linked to cell division in mediating efficient transitions between transcriptional programs. tail tip skin fibroblasts were transferred into mitotic mouse zygotes, blastomeres or oocytes.