Regulation of human germline commitment by DMRT1 [RNA-seq and Cut&Run]

Nascent human primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) can be specified with BMP2 or BMP4 together with SCF and EGF from germline competent embryonic stem cells which are maintained in the presence of inhibitors for GSK3, MEK, p38 and JNK together with FGF2, TGFβ and LIF (4i ESC). Here we discovered that Activin A and retinoic acid treatment after PGC specification induced genes expressed in migrating and gonadal PGCs in vivo, including DMRT1 and CDH5. Ectopic expression of DMRT1 and SOX17 resulted in repression of pluripotent genes as well as induction of DAZL and a subset of mitotic arrest PGC genes. Our findings provide novel insights on the roles of DMRT1 for the transition from nascent PGCs towards germline determination and molecular mechanisms of early human germline development. RNA profiles of 4i ESC, NANOS3+ PGCLCs, DMRT1+ PGCLCs, and DAZL+ PGCLCs. Cut-And-Run-sequencing targeting DMRT1 in DAZL+ PGCLCs.