PUBLICATION

The Vertebrate Protein Dead End Maintains Primordial Germ Cell Fate by Inhibiting Somatic Differentiation

Authors
Gross-Thebing, T., Yigit, S., Pfeiffer, J., Reichman-Fried, M., Bandemer, J., Ruckert, C., Rathmer, C., Goudarzi, M., Stehling, M., Tarbashevich, K., Seggewiss, J., Raz, E.
ID
ZDB-PUB-171220-6
Date
2017
Source
Developmental Cell   43: 704-715.e5 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Bandemer, Jan, Goudarzi, Mehdi, Gross-Thebing, Theresa, Pfeiffer, Jana, Raz, Erez, Reichman-Fried, Michal, Tarbashevich, Katsiyarina
Keywords
Dead end, PGC, differentiation, germ cell, nanos, pluripotency, reprogramming, teratoma, zebrafish
Datasets
GEO:GSE104855
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation/genetics
  • Cell Differentiation/physiology*
  • Cell Movement
  • Cellular Reprogramming Techniques/methods
  • Endoderm/physiology
  • Germ Cells/metabolism
  • Germ Cells/physiology
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism*
  • RNA-Binding Proteins/physiology
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/physiology
PubMed
29257950 Full text @ Dev. Cell
Abstract
Maintaining cell fate relies on robust mechanisms that prevent the differentiation of specified cells into other cell types. This is especially critical during embryogenesis, when extensive cell proliferation, patterning, and migration events take place. Here we show that vertebrate primordial germ cells (PGCs) are protected from reprogramming into other cell types by the RNA-binding protein Dead end (Dnd). PGCs knocked down for Dnd lose their characteristic morphology and adopt various somatic cell fates. Concomitantly, they gain a gene expression profile reflecting differentiation into cells of different germ layers, in a process that we could direct by expression of specific cell-fate determinants. Importantly, we visualized these events within live zebrafish embryos, which provide temporal information regarding cell reprogramming. Our results shed light on the mechanisms controlling germ cell fate maintenance and are relevant for the formation of teratoma, a tumor class composed of cells from more than one germ layer.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping