CTCF is a Barrier for Totipotent-like Reprogramming [Cut&Run]

Totipotent cells have the ability of generating embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues. Interestingly, a rare population of cells with totipotent-like potential was identified within ESC cultures. These cells, known as 2 cell (2C)-like cells, arise from ESC and display similar features to those found in the totipotent 2 cell embryo. However, the molecular determinants of 2C like conversion have not been completely elucidated. Here, we show that CTCF is a barrier for 2C-like reprogramming. Indeed, forced conversion to a 2C-like state by DUX expression was associated with DNA damage at a subset of CTCF binding sites. Endogenous or DUX-induced 2C-like ESC showed decreased CTCF enrichment at known binding sites, suggesting that acquisition of a totipotent-like state is associated with a highly dynamic chromatin architecture. Accordingly, depletion of CTCF in ESC efficiently promoted spontaneous and asynchronous conversion to a totipotent-like state. This phenotypic reprogramming was reversible upon restoration of CTCF levels. Furthermore, we showed that transcriptional activation of the ZSCAN4 cluster was necessary for successful 2C-like reprogramming. In summary, we revealed the intimate relation between CTCF and totipotent-like reprogramming. Cut&Run experiments of CTCF in untreated and DUX-overexpressing ESC lines for 16h or 24h. Cut&Run experiments of CTCF in a population of sorted spontaneously converted ESC into totipotent-like cells expressing LTR-sequences