Comprehensive Proteomic Analysis of PGC7-Interacting Proteins

Primordial
germ cell 7 (PGC7), a maternal factor essential for
early development, plays a critical role in the regulation of DNA
methylation, transcriptional repression, chromatin condensation, and
cell division and the maintenance of cell pluripotentiality. Despite
the fundamental roles of PGC7 in these cellular processes, only a
few molecular and functional interactions of PGC7 have been reported.
Here, a streptavidin–biotin affinity purification technique
combined with LC–MS/MS was used to analyze potential proteins
that interact with PGC7. In total, 291 potential PGC7-interacting
proteins were identified. Through an in-depth bioinformatic analysis
of potential interactors, we linked PGC7 to critical cellular processes
including translation, RNA processing, cell cycle, and regulation
of heterochromatin structure. To better understand the functional
interactions of PGC7 with its potential interactors, we constructed
a protein–protein interaction network using the STRING database.
In addition, we discussed in detail the interactions between PGC7
and some of its newly validated partners. The identification of these
potential interactors of PGC7 expands our knowledge on the PGC7 interactome
and provides a valuable resource for understanding the diverse functions
of this protein.