Formation of the complex vertebrate nervous system begins when pluripotent cells of the early embryo are directed to acquire a neural fate. Although cell intrinsic controls play an important role in this process, the molecular nature of this regulation is not well defined. Here we assessed the role for Geminin, a nuclear protein expressed in embryonic cells, in neural fate acquisition from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. While Geminin knockdown does not affect the ability of ES cells to maintain or exit pluripotency, we found that it significantly impairs their ability to acquire a neural fate. Conversely, Geminin overexpression promotes neural gene expression, even in the presence of growth factor signaling that antagonizes neural transcriptional responses. These data demonstrate that Geminins activity contributes to mammalian neural cell fate acquisition. We investigated the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon and found that Geminin maintains a hyperacetylated and open chromatin conformation at neural genes. Interestingly, recombinant Geminin protein also rapidly alters chromatin acetylation and accessibility even when Geminin is combined with nuclear extract and chromatin in vitro. These findings define a novel activity for Geminin in regulation of chromatin structure. Together, these data support a role for Geminin as a cell intrinsic regulator of neural fate acquisition that promotes expression of neural genes by regulating chromatin accessibility and histone acetylation.
Geminin promotes neural fate acquisition of embryonic stem cells by maintaining chromatin in an accessible and hyperacetylated state.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesWe tested the hypothesis that a set of differentially expressed genes could be used to predict cardiovascular phenotype in mice after prolonged catecholamine stress.
Gene expression profiling: classification of mice with left ventricle systolic dysfunction using microarray analysis.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesAnalysis of gene expression in lungs of C57BL/6J mice that develop chronic airway disease phenotypes after a single Sendai virus infection, compared with mice treated with UV-inactivated virus.
Persistent activation of an innate immune response translates respiratory viral infection into chronic lung disease.
Sex, Time
View SamplesTemporal genome profiling of DSS colitis
Temporal genomewide expression profiling of DSS colitis reveals novel inflammatory and angiogenesis genes similar to ulcerative colitis.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesGlomerular RNA comparison between wild-type and podocyte specific deletion of the PTIP gene in 1 month old kidneys. The PTIP gene was deleted using a floxed allele and a Podocin-Cre driver strain.
Altering a histone H3K4 methylation pathway in glomerular podocytes promotes a chronic disease phenotype.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe aim of the study was to illucidate how BAFF mediates B cell survival and growth through the identification of BAFF-regulated genes.
BAFF controls B cell metabolic fitness through a PKC beta- and Akt-dependent mechanism.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesLoss of muscle mass occurs in a variety of diseases including cancer, chronic heart failure, AIDS, diabetes and renal failure, often aggravating pathological progression. Preventing muscle wasting by promoting muscle growth has been proposed as a possible therapeutic approach. Myostatin is an important negative modulator of muscle growth during myogenesis and myostatin inhibitors are attractive drug targets. However, the role of the myostatin pathway in adulthood and the transcription factors involved in the signaling are unclear. Moreover recent results confirm that other TGF members control muscle mass. Using genetic tools we perturbed this pathway in adult myofibers, in vivo, to characterize the downstream targets and their ability to control muscle mass. Smad2 and Smad3 are the transcription factors downstream of myostatin/TGF and induce an atrophy program which is MuRF1 independent and requires FoxO activity. Furthermore Smad2/3 inhibition promotes muscle hypertrophy independent of satellite cells but partially dependent of mTOR signalling. Thus myostatin and Akt pathways cross-talk at different levels. These findings point to myostatin inhibitors as good drugs to promote muscle growth during rehabilitation especially when they are combined with IGF1-Akt activators.
Smad2 and 3 transcription factors control muscle mass in adulthood.
Specimen part, Time
View SamplesMicroarray analysis was performed on BWF1 mice spleenocyte cells in control and pCONS treated mice.
Distinct gene signature revealed in white blood cells, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in (NZBx NZW) F1 lupus mice after tolerization with anti-DNA Ig peptide.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe pathogenic mechanisms of common kidney glomerular diseases, including the vast majority of cases of proteinuria, remain unknown.
Glomerular transcriptome changes associated with lipopolysaccharide-induced proteinuria.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesJournal : Blood. 2009 Jul 9;114(2):469-77. Epub 2009 May 13.
Endothelial deletion of hypoxia-inducible factor-2alpha (HIF-2alpha) alters vascular function and tumor angiogenesis.
Specimen part
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