Transcription Factor OTX2 Silences the Expression of Cleavage Embryo Genes and Transposable Elements

Overview

Journal J Reprod Dev

Specialties Biology
Reproductive Medicine

Date 2021 Apr 26

PMID 33896883

Citations 2

Authors

Shi-Meng Guo

Ning-Hua Mei

Jing Yang

Li-Quan Zhou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Upon mammalian fertilization, zygotic genome activation (ZGA) and activation of transposable elements (TEs) occur in early embryos to establish totipotency and support embryogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling the expression of these genes in mammals remain poorly understood. The 2-cell-like population of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) mimics cleavage-stage embryos with transient Dux activation. In this study, we demonstrated that deficiency of the transcription factor OTX2 stimulates the expression of ZGA genes in mESCs. Further analysis revealed that OTX2 is incorporated at the Dux locus with corepressors for transcriptional inhibition. We also found that OTX2 associates with TEs and silences the subtypes of TEs. Therefore, OTX2 protein plays an important role in ZGA and TE expression in mESCs to orchestrate the transcriptional network.

Citing Articles

The regulation of totipotency transcription: Perspective from and totipotency.

Xu H, Liang H Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022; 10:1024093.

PMID: 36393839 PMC: 9643643. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1024093.

The Role of Transposable Elements in Sexual Development.

Chiang V, DeRosa H, Park J, Hunter R Front Behav Neurosci. 2022; 16:923732.

PMID: 35874645 PMC: 9301316. DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.923732.

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