Escape from X inactivation is directly modulated by Xist non-coding RNA [ESC]

X-chromosome inactivation silences one copy of the X-chromosome in female cells, but a number of genes escapes this inactivation. We asked whether increased levels of Xist RNA, the molecular actor driving X-inactivation, impacts expression levels of escapees. To this end, we performed transcriptomic profiling of X-linked gene expression in clonal neural progenitor cell lines with transgenes that allow for the overexpression of Xist on the inactive X chromosome. Here, we use the F1 hybrid mouse ESC line from which the NPCs were derived as a control to assess the silencing effect of Xist in ESCs. Overall design: First generation hybrid embryonic stem cells (from a C57BL6/J x CAST/EiJ cross), that carry a doxycycline-inducible transgene on the B6 allele were used. Doxycyclin treatment for 24 hours was performed in the ESCs and allele-specific expression was measured using RNA-Sequencing.