DNA methylation oscillations at CpG poor enhancers in primed embryonic stem cells [single cell Bisulfite-seq]

Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) primed for differentiation display dynamic heterogeneity characterised by stochastic switching between transcriptional states, and recent advances have highlighted the heterogeneous and dynamic nature of DNA methylation in these. Using single cell sequencing we report global oscillations in ESC DNA methylation that affect particularly CpG poor regions including distal enhancers. These oscillations are dependent on DNA methylation turnover by Dnmt3 and Tet enzymes and influence the probability of transcriptional state switching. Our observations suggest that regulated DNA methylation heterogeneity may contribute to lineage priming in cells poised for differentiation. Overall design: scBS-Seq: A total of 81 single cells from 5 different cell populations