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Looping around Reprogramming: The Topological Memory of Induced Pluripotency
Kevin Andrew Uy Gonzales1, Huck-Hui Ng2
1Gene Regulation Laboratory, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore 138672.
Cell Stem Cell
|May 7, 2016
Summary
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) retain memory of their original cell type through 3D genome organization. This topological memory suggests that cellular identity is imprinted in the genome
Area of Science:
- Epigenetics and Genomics
- Stem Cell Biology
- Cellular Reprogramming
Background:
- Genome architecture is linked to cellular identity.
- The dynamics of genome organization during cellular reprogramming remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in 3D genome organization during cellular reprogramming.
- To determine if induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) retain a memory of their original cellular state.
Main Methods:
- Generation of 3D chromatin interaction maps.
- Comparison of these maps before and after reprogramming of somatic cells into iPSCs.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in 3D genome organization were observed between original somatic cells and resulting iPSCs.
- Evidence suggests that iPSCs maintain a 'topological memory' of their pre-reprogrammed state.
Conclusions:
- Cellular identity is associated with specific 3D genome architectures.
- Induced pluripotency does not completely erase the epigenetic memory encoded in genome organization.
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