Lineage-specific transcription factors regulate DNA methylation dynamics during hematopoietic development [ChIP-Seq]

DNA methylation is a major epigenetic modification for gene silencing and is dramatically altered spatiotemporally during cellular development. However, the roles of DNA methylation dynamics and regulation in cellular development remain unclear. The present analyses of DNA methylome dynamics during hematopoietic development suggest that DNA demethylation pre-defines the gene expression potential of terminal differentiation-specific genes at the progenitor cell stage and is regulated by lineage-specific transcription factors (TFs). Demethylation of majority of hypo-methylated CpGs in terminally differentiated cells occurs during the progenitor cell stage and is associated with rapid upregulation of terminal differentiation-specific genes. Accordingly, TF overrepresentation analyses indicated that lineage-specific TFs regulate DNA demethylation. The present experiments show that RUNX1 induces site-directed active DNA demethylation by recruiting DNA demethylation enzymes. Collectively, the present data indicate an integrated system of DNA methylation and gene expression during cellular development. Overall design: RUNX1 and TET2 binding site profiling.