2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

GCNF mediated DNA methylation and stem cell differentiation

Research Project

Project/Area Number	19570146
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Functional biochemistry
Research Institution	Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Principal Investigator	SATO Noriko Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 難治疾患研究所, 准教授 (70280956)
Project Period (FY)	2007 – 2009
Keywords	DNAメチル化 / エピジェネティック制御
Research Abstract	GCNF (germ cell nuclear factor) is expressed at the gastrulation stage during embryonic development. GCNF represses pluripotency genes such as Oct-3/4 and Nanog and induces DNA methylation of their regulatory regions. In this project, the specific monoclonal antibodies against GCNF have been newly prepared in order to analyze the endogenous GCNF protein during murine ES cell differentiation. By the co-immunoprecipitation study, interaction between endogenous GCNF and Dnmt3 proteins was confirmed. At the beginning of ES differentiation, the expression level of GCNF was low, but it interacts with Dnmt3a2 and Dnmt3b. At the later stage, GCNF was transiently upregulated and it interacts with Dnmt3a1. Mass spectrometry analysis has revealed that anti-GCNF immunoprecipitates contain Trim28 and PELP1 complex, but the further analyses will be required to assess its functional significance.

(1 results)