eIF4A2 targets developmental potency and histone H3.3 transcripts for translational control of embryonic and cancer stemness [eCLIP-seq]

Stemness is a defining feature in embryonic and cancer stem cells. How stemness is regulated at the mRNA translational initiation remains undefined. We carried out an RNAi screen for key translation initiation factors that maintain the stemness in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We identified eIF4A2 and defined its mechanistic action through Rps26-depleted and -containing ribosomes in translational initiation activation of mRNAs encoding pluripotency factors and H3.3 for embryonic and extraembryonic lineage repression, respectively. eIF4A2 also mediates translation initiation activation of Ddx6, which acts together with eIF4A2 to restrict the totipotent 2-cell (2C) transcription program in ESCs through Zscan4 mRNA degradation and translation repression. Knockdown of eIF4A2 disrupts ESC proteome causing the loss of stemness in ESCs as well as in human glioblastomas where eIF4A2 is highly enriched. Collectively, our study establishes an eIF4A2-mediated translation initiation control of stemness and provides insight into cancer therapeutics targeting the translation initiation machinery. Overall design: eIF4A2 binding profiling was investigated via eCLIP-seq analysis in mouse embryonic stem cells.