Random Monoallelic Gene Expression Increases upon Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation

• DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.01.017
• Publication Date: 2014-02-24T12:00:52Z
• Authors: Mélanie A. Eckers...; David Thybert; Jan H. Bergmann; John C. Marioni; Paul Flicek; David L. Spector
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Sequence Analysis, RNA; Gene Expression; Cell Differentiation; DNA Methylation; Chromosomes; Cell Line; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Animals; Cell Lineage; Alleles; Embryonic Stem Cells; Developmental Biology

Random autosomal monoallelic gene expression refers to the transcription of a from one two homologous alleles. We assessed dynamics during development through an allele-specific RNA-sequencing screen in clonal populations hybrid mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and neural progenitor (NPCs). identified 67 376 inheritable random monoallelically expressed genes ESCs NPCs, respectively, 5.6-fold increase upon differentiation. Although DNA methylation nuclear positioning did not distinguish active inactive alleles, specific histone modifications were differentially enriched between Interestingly, levels 8% remained similar biallelic clones. These results support model which occurs stochastically differentiation and, for some genes, is compensated by cell maintain required transcriptional output these genes.