DAZL Limits Pluripotency, Differentiation, and Apoptosis in Developing Primordial Germ Cells

• DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2014.09.003
• Publication Date: 2014-10-11T04:38:12Z
• Authors: Hsu-Hsin Chen; Maaike Welling; Donald B. Bloch; Javier Muñoz; Edwin Mientjes; Xinjie Chen; Cody Tramp; Jie Wu; Akiko Yabuuchi; Yu-Fen Chou; Christa Buecker; Adrian Krainer; Rob Willemsen; Albert J. Heck; Niels Geijsen
• Keywords: Germ line development; Ectopic expression

The scarcity of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in the developing mammalian embryo hampers robust biochemical analysis processes that underlie early cell formation. Here, we demonstrate DAZL, a cell-specific RNA binding protein, is PGC marker during vitro development. Using Dazl-GFP reporter ESCs, DAZL plays central role large mRNA/protein interactive network blocks translation core pluripotency factors, including Sox2 and Sall4, as well Suz12, polycomb family member required for differentiation pluripotent cells. Thus, limits both somatic nascent PGCs. In addition, observed associates with mRNAs key Caspases similarly inhibits their translation. This elegant fail-safe mechanism ensures that, whereas loss results prolonged expression teratoma formation avoided due to concomitant activation apoptotic cascade.