Expresssion data of Prdm14 KO ESCs expressing each orthologues.

Gene regulatory networks underlying cellular pluripotency are controlled by a core circuitry of transcription factors, including POU5F1 and NANOG in mammals. However, the evolutionary origin and transformation of pluripotency transcriptional networks have not been elucidated in deuterostomes. PR domain-containing protein 14 (PRDM14) is specifically expressed in pluripotent cells and germ cells, and is required for establishing embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and primordial germ cells (PGCs) in mice. Here, we compared the functions and expression patterns of PRDM14 orthologues within deuterostomes. Amphioxus PRDM14, zebrafish PRDM14, and the combination of sea urchin PRDM14 and CBFA2T compensated for disruption of the mouse Prdm14 gene in terms of maintaining mouse ESC pluripotency. Interestingly, Prdm14 was expressed in motor neurons, but not in germ cells in amphioxus embryos as observed in zebrafish embryos. Therefore, our results suggest that the integration of the PRDM14–CBFA2T complex into the transcriptional network for pluripotency may be essential for stabilizing pluripotency during the early amniote development. We anlalyzed 8 samples on two strip of microarray detected by GeneAtlas.