Nanog Independent Reprogramming to iPSCs with Canonical Factors

It has been suggested that the transcription factor Nanog is essential for the establishment of pluripotency during the derivation of embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. However, successful reprogramming to pluripotency with a growing list of divergent transcription factors, at ever increasing efficiencies, suggests that there may be many distinct routes to a pluripotent state. Here, we have investigated whether Nanog is necessary for reprogramming murine fibroblasts under highly efficient conditions using the canonical reprogramming factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and cMyc. In agreement with prior results, the efficiency of reprogramming Nanog-/- fibroblasts was significantly lower than that of control fibroblasts. However, in contrast to previous findings, we were able to reproducibly generate iPS cells from Nanog-/- fibroblasts that effectively contributed to chimeric mice. Thus while Nanog may be an important mediator of reprogramming it is not required for establishing pluripotency in the mouse, even under standard conditions. In order to further evaluate the equivalency of Nanog null iPSC to nanog null ESCs, we have performed RNAseq on two independent nanog null iPSC lines, as well as Nanog Null ESC, WT ESC and iPSCs as well as MEFs. As a negativve control for reprogramming we have analyzed a partially reprogrammed iPSC line.