Project description:We report the whole-transcriptome profile with total RNA sequencing of postnatal male germ cells. Histone modification levels are dynamically controlled during mammalian spermatogenesis. We found that H3K9 demethylases, Jmjd1a and Jmjd1b catalyze H3K9 demethylation in prospermatogonia. Combined loss of Jmjd1 enzymes disturbed prospermatogonia to spermatogonia transition in mice. To examine a role of Jmjd1 in prospermatogonia to spermatogonia transition, we performed RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses using postnatal germ cells at P3 and P7.
Project description:We report the H3K9me2 distribution profile with ChIP sequencing of postnatal male germ cells. Histone modification levels are dynamically controlled during mammalian spermatogenesis. We found that H3K9 demethylases, Jmjd1a and Jmjd1b catalyze H3K9 demethylation in prospermatogonia. Combined loss of Jmjd1 enzymes disturbed prospermatogonia to spermatogonia transition in mice. To examine a role of Jmjd1 in prospermatogonia to spermatogonia transition, we performed RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses using postnatal germ cells at P3 and P7.
Project description:We analyzed transcriptome profiles of postnatal germ cells and demonstrated that DNMT3L is important for spermatogonial stem/progenitor cell development Examination of wild-type and Dnmt3l knockout smaples in postnatal male germ cells
Project description:Heterogeneity within murine prospermatogonia manifests as certain populations either die or survive during a developmentally scheduled apoptotic event at E13.5. We have identified that this apoptosis is clonal, suggesting that apoptotic fate is heritably enforced among populations of germ cells. To determine how subpopulations of germ cells differ, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to identify two diametric states: an apoptotic (AP) versus a male-differentiated (MD) subpopulation that differ primarily by the expression of critical male-differentiation genes known to be epigenetically regulated. We isolated AP and MD germ cells from E13.5 male embryos for whole genome bisulfite sequencing to compare how methylation differs between these populations. We find that AP germ cells are relatively hypermethylated at a whole-genome level and, importantly, are significantly hypermethylated at specific genome-reprogramming responsive (GRR) loci. Because these GRR genes facilitate male differentiation, we conclude that inappropriate demethylation as germ cells epigentically reprogram in the period preceding apoptosis produces an aberrantly male-differentiated clone that is fated for elimination. This quality-control paradigm therefore links fidelitous epigenetic reprogramming to germ cell selection.
Project description:DNA methylation is a major silencing mechanism of transposable elements (TEs). Here we report that TEX15, a testis-specific protein, is required for TE silencing. Through WGBS, we find that Tex15 mutant germ cells exhibit DNA hypomethylation in TEs. Our results identify TEX15 as a new essential epigenetic regulator that appears to function independently or downstream of the piRNA biogenesis machineries to silence TEs by DNA methylation in male germ cells.
Project description:Identification of the embryonic germ cell Meioc-/- transcriptome, MEIOC targets in postnatal testis, and YTHDC2 targets in postnatal testis in mouse