Translational and Post-translational LC-MS of Naïve and Primed hESCs

Deciphering the regulatory network for human naïve and primed pluripotency is of fundamental theoretical and applicable significance. Here, by combining quantitative proteomics, phosphoproteomics and acetylproteomics analyses, we revealed RNA processing and translation as the most differentially-regulated processes between naïve and primed human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). While glycolytic primed hESCs rely predominantly on eIF4E-mediated cap-dependent pathway for protein translation, naïve hESCs with reduced mTORC1 activity are more tolerant to blockage of eIF4E-dependent translation, and their bivalent metabolism allows for translating selective mRNAs via both eIF4E-dependent and eIF4E-independent/eIF4A2-dependent pathways to form a more compact naïve proteome. Globally up-regulated proteostasis system and down-regulated post-translational modification system help to further refine and maintain the naïve proteome that is compatible with the more rapid cycling of naïve hESCs, where CDK1 plays an indispensable coordinative role.