GATA6 is predicted to regulate DNA methylation in an in vitro model of human hepatocyte differentiation (ChIPmentation)

Background: Hepatocytes comprise a major cell type of the human liver and function for metabolism, detoxification, and production of secreted proteins. During the hepatocyte differentiation process, whereas the gene regulation and master transcription factors have been extensively investigated, little is known about the epigenome regulation, particularly DNA methylation dynamics, and their responsible upstream factors. Results: Examining changes in transcriptome and methylome during in vitro hepatocyte differentiation, we identified putative DNA methylation-regulating transcription factors, which are likely involved in DNA demethylation and hypo-methylation maintenance in a differentiation stage-specific manner. Examination of GATA6 binding in definitive endoderm differentiation in vitro by ChIPmentation