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Odd Histone Helps Suppress Jumping Genes in Stem Cells
A family of proteins known as histones provides support and structure to DNA, but for years, scientists have been puzzling over occasional outliers among these histones, which appear to exist for specific, but often mysterious reasons. Now, researchers have uncovered a new purpose for one such histone variant: preventing genetic mutations by keeping certain so-called “jumping genes” in place. [Press release from Rockefeller University discussing online prepublication in Nature] Press Release
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| | | PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by impact factor of the journal) |
Filia Is an ESC-Specific Regulator of DNA Damage Response and Safeguards Genomic Stability
The authors described the identification of Filia as a specific regulator of genomic stability in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract
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Tex10 Coordinates Epigenetic Control of Super-Enhancer Activity in Pluripotency and Reprogramming
Scientists dissected the molecular control mechanism of super enhancer activity in pluripotency and reprogramming. Starting from a protein interaction network surrounding Sox2, they identified Tex10 as a key pluripotency factor that plays a functionally significant role in embryonic stem cell self-renewal, early embryo development, and reprogramming. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract |
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SMADs and YAP Compete to Control Elongation of β-Catenin: LEF-1-Recruited RNAPII during hESC Differentiation
Researchers found that LEF-1 and other human embryonic stem cells (hESC) enhancers recruited RNAPII complexes that are highly phosphorylated at Ser5, but not Ser7. [Mol Cell] Abstract |
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TET1 Is Controlled by Pluripotency-Associated Factors in ESCs and Downmodulated by PRC2 in Differentiated Cells and Tissues
Investigators showed that the Tet1 gene is regulated, both in mouse and human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), by the stemness specific factors Oct3/4, Nanog and by Myc. [Nucleic Acids Res] Abstract
An HDAC2-TET1 Switch at Distinct Chromatin Regions Significantly Promotes the Maturation of Pre-iPS to iPS Cells
The authors report that knockdown of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) specifically promoted the maturation of induced pluripotent (iPS) stem cells. [Nucleic Acids Res] Full Article
Efficient CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Generation of Knockin Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Lacking Undesired Mutations at the Targeted Locus
Investigators systematically tested the ability of CRISPR-Cas9 to mediate reporter gene knockin at 16 distinct genomic sites in human pluripotent stem cells. [Cell Rep] Full Article
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Systematic Optimization of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Media Using Design of Experiments
Scientists applied design of experiments, a powerful statistical tool, to improve the medium formulation for hPSC. Using pluripotency and cell growth as read-outs, they determined the optimal concentration of both basic fibroblast growth factor and neuregulin−1 beta 1. [Sci Rep] Full Article
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Small-Molecule-Driven Hepatocyte Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Researchers devised a growth-factor-free protocol that relies on small molecules to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells toward a hepatic phenotype. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article
High Glutathione and Glutathione Peroxidase-2 Levels Mediate Cell-Type-Specific DNA Damage Protection in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
In human induced pluripotent stem cells, the authors found that genome surveillance is achieved via two ways, namely, a hypersensitivity to apoptosis and a very low accumulation of DNA lesions. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article |
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| | | POLICY NEWS |
New Version of Cures Bill Recommends $10 Billion Boost for NIH
An ambitious effort in the U.S. House of Representatives to jump-start biomedical innovation took another step forward with the release of a bipartisan draft bill. The so-called 21st Century Cures Act contains huge news for supporters of biomedical research: It recommends substantial budget increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including $10 billion in extra funding over five years. [ScienceInsider] Editorial
NIH Reiterates Ban on Editing Human Embryo DNA
The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has reaffirmed its ban on research that involves gene editing of human embryos. In a statement, NIH director Francis Collins spelled out the agency’s long-standing policy against funding such research and the ethical and legal reasons for it. [Nature News] Editorial
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