A temporally controlled sequence of X-chromosome inactivation and reactivation defines female mouse in vitro germ cells with meiotic potential

To investigate the interplay of X-chromosome status and meiosis during primordial germ cell (PGC) maturation, we differentiated mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) via epiblast-like cells (EpiLCs) into primordial germ cell like cells (PGCLCs) and further into meiotic germ cells. During the differentiation of PGCLCs, we assessed the kinetics of X-chromosome inactivation and reactivation. We generated allele-specific total RNA-seq datasets to assess gene inactivation and reactivation dynamics, as well as allele-specific single-cell RNA-seq using SMART-Seq v5 to investigate the interplay of meiosis and X-chromosome status in germ cells. Overall design: Allele-specific total RNA-seq in ESC, EpiLCs and PGCLCs with distinct X-chromosome status. Allele-specific single-cell RNA-seq of ESCs and germ cells upon aggregation with gonadal somatic cells.