New discovery: a core gene network that simultaneously controls pluripotency and cell death

"Our method allows us to create an "Atlas" of almost every gene in the human genome and determine its overexpression or loss as the most basic first step to human development," said lead author Camilla Naxerova.
Ph.
D.
, the postdoctoral fellow was in the Brigham department of the Erich Naben White Genetics Laboratory
.

"We did not study genes one by one, but studied thousands of genetic changes at the same time to determine how they affect the proliferation of embryonic stem cells and the subsequent development of the three germ layers that are the raw material for human tissues

"To clarify how the functions of human embryonic stem cells are controlled by genetics is essential for our understanding of developmental biology and regenerative medicine," said co-corresponding author Stephen Elledge, Ph.
D.
, Greg from Brigham University and HMS · Mendelian Professor of Genetics and Medicine
.

"Our research provides the most extensive gene function testing to date

During this experiment, the researchers discovered that hESC genes play a unique role in controlling pluripotency or differentiation
.

When the researchers deleted these well-known genes (including OCT4 and SOX2), stem cells surprisingly increased their resistance to death, indicating that pluripotency regulators also contribute to the apoptotic pathway under normal conditions

These interrelated behaviors are especially evident in the pluripotent modulators called SAGA complexes
.

Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that in the absence of the SAGA complex, hESCs are less likely to die

In addition to providing a new perspective on the genetic basis of cancer, the research's high-throughput genetic screening method may provide information for future work in regenerative biology
.

"Genetic screening provides an excellent opportunity to explore how genetic networks promote cell-related behaviors, such as growth, differentiation, and survival," said Nakselova, who is now an assistant at the Center for Systems Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Professor
.

"This method can help regenerative and developmental biologists to systematically map out the genetic networks involved in the formation of specific tissues and manipulate these genes to more effectively cultivate different types of human tissues from stem cells

Journal Reference :

1. Kamila Naxerova, Bruno Di Stefano, Jessica L.