Project description:HiC on Spen-degron TX1072 clones of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). HiC in 2 biological replicates before and after. 24h of auxin treatment.
Project description:We developed a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated base-editing screen to functionally screen endogenous proteins. We screened SPEN, a key factor in X chromosome inactivation, for loss-of-function mutations. Some of the screen hits were mutations of serine residues that could be potential phosphorylation sites (by prediction) and could serve as regulatory sites for the function and/or structure of SPEN. To follow up on our observations, we analyzed phosphorylation sites of SPEN in mouse embryonic stem cells, in which both X chromosomes are active (“noDox” sample), and in cells in which X chromosome inactivation was artificially induced by Xist expression (“Dox” sample).
Project description:RNAseq on Spen-degron TX1072 clones of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). RNAseq in 2 biological replicates at 3 different times of auxin treatment (0h aux, 24h aux, 48h aux).
Project description:At initiation of X chromosome inactivation (XCI), Xist is monoallelically upregulated from the future inactive X (Xi) chromosome, overcoming repression by its antisense transcript Tsix. Xist recruits various chromatin remodelers, amongst them SPEN, which are involved in silencing of X-linked genes in cis and establishment of the Xi. Here, we show that SPEN plays an important role in the initiation of XCI. Spen null female mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are defective in Xist upregulation upon differentiation. We find that Xist-mediated SPEN recruitment to the Xi chromosome happens very early in XCI, and that SPEN-mediated silencing of the Tsix promoter is required for Xist upregulation. Accordingly, failed Xist upregulation in Spen-/- ESCs can be rescued by concomitant removal of Tsix. These findings indicate that SPEN is not only required for the establishment of the Xi, but is also crucial in the initiation of the XCI process.