Transcriptome Analysis of BAP1-Deficient Mouse T Cells

Loss of function of the nuclear deubiquitinating enzyme BAP1 is associated with a wide spectrum of cancers. Bap1 is the catalytic subunit of the Polycomb repressive deubiquitinase complex that deubiquitinates H2AK119Ub, a histone modification associated with repressed chromatin. We have found that BAP1 was critical for T cell development at several stages. In the thymus, BAP1 was required for progression through the pre-T cell receptor checkpoint. Peripheral T cells lacking BAP1 demonstrated a profound defect in homeostatic and antigen-driven expansion. The purpose of this study is to identify changes in gene expression in the absence of Bap1 in immature and mature T cells.