Influence of Set7/9 on hESC differentiation

We analyzed the role of the histone lysine methyltransferase Set7/9 in the differentiation of human embryonic stem (ES) cells. Human ES cell lines expressing a control short hairpin and a short hairpin against Set7/9 were established and the genome wide expression profile was compared between both cell lines at different days during differentiation. Analysis of both profiles indicates that in the absence of Set7/9 there is a delay in the silencing of self-renewal factors as well as in the induction of differentiation markers. These results indicate that Set7/9 plays an active role in the differentiation of human ES cells. control and set7/9 shRNA hESCs were differentiated, and profiling was realized at days 0, 8 and 15.