Germ cell differentiation requires Tdrd7-dependent chromatin and transcriptome reprogramming marked by germ plasm relocalization

• DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.02.007
• Publication Date: 2021-03-01T15:56:21Z
• Authors: Fabio M. D’Orazio; Piotr J. Balwierz; Ada Jimenez González; Yixuan Guo; Benjamín Hernánde...; Lucy Wheatley; Aleksandra Jasiul...; Yavor Hadzhiev; Juan M. Vaquerizas; Bradley Cairns; Boris Lenhard; Ferenc Müller
• Keywords: Germ plasm; Reprogramming; Germ line development

In many animal models, primordial germ cell (PGC) development depends on maternally deposited plasm, which prevents somatic fate. Here, we show that PGCs respond to regulatory information from the plasm in two distinct phases using mechanisms zebrafish. We demonstrate commence zygotic genome activation together with blastocysts no demonstrable differences transcriptional and chromatin opening. Unexpectedly, both PGC activate germ-cell-specific genes, are only stabilized by cytoplasmic determinants. Disaggregated perinuclear relocalization of during migration is regulated determinant Tdrd7 coupled dramatic divergence between transcriptomes. This relies PGC-specific cis-regulatory elements characterized promoter-proximal distribution. Tdrd7-dependent reconfiguration accessibility required for elaboration fate but not migration.