Bend family proteins mark chromatin boundaries and synergistically promote early germ cell differentiation. Issue 10 (3rd November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shi, Guang; Bai, Yaofu; Zhang, Xiya; Su, Junfeng; Pang, Junjie; He, Quanyuan; Zeng, Pengguihang; Ding, Junjun; Xiong, Yuanyan; Zhang, Jingran; Wang, Jingwen; Liu, Dan; Ma, Wenbin; Huang, Junjiu; Songyang, Zhou
• Is Part Of: Protein & cell. Volume 13:Issue 10(2022)
• Page Start: 721
• Page End: 741
• Publication Date: 2021-11-03
• Subjects: embryonic stem cell -- self-renewal and differentiation -- early development -- chromatin organization -- Bend5 and Bend4; Proteins -- Periodicals; Cells -- Periodicals; Cytology -- Periodicals; 572.6
• DOI: 10.1007/s13238-021-00884-1
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1674-800X

Abstract

Abstract: Understanding the regulatory networks for germ cell fate specification is necessary to developing strategies for improving the efficiency of germ cell production in vitro . In this study, we developed a coupled screening strategy that took advantage of an arrayed bi-molecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) platform for protein-protein interaction screens and epiblast-like cell (EpiLC)-induction assays using reporter mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Investigation of candidate interaction partners of core human pluripotent factors OCT4, NANOG, KLF4 and SOX2 in EpiLC differentiation assays identified novel primordial germ cell (PGC)-inducing factors including BEN-domain (BEND/Bend) family members. Through RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, and ATAC-seq analyses, we showed that Bend5 worked together with Bend4 and helped mark chromatin boundaries to promote EpiLC induction in vitro . Our findings suggest that BEND/Bend proteins represent a new family of transcriptional modulators and chromatin boundary factors that participate in gene expression regulation during early germline development.