Deterministic direct reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotency [Microarray/Expression]

Somatic cells can be directly reprogrammed to pluripotency by exogenous expression of transcription factors, classically Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc. While distinct types of somatic cells can be reprogramed with varying efficiencies and by different modified reprogramming protocols, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) induction remains inefficient and stochastic where a fraction of the cells converts into iPSCs. The nature of rate limiting barrier(s) preventing majority of cells to convert into iPSCs remains elusive. Here we show that neutralizing Mbd3, a core member of the Mbd3/NURD co-repressor and chromatin-remodeling complex, results in deterministic and synchronized reprogramming of multiple differentiated cell types to pluripotency. 100% of Mbd3 depleted mouse and human somatic cells convert into iPSCs after seven days of reprogramming factor induction. Our findings delineate a critical pathway blocking the reestablishment of pluripotency, and offer a novel platform for future dissection of epigenetic dynamics leading to iPSC formation at high resolution.

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Rais Y, Zviran A, Geula S, Gafni O, Chomsky E, Viukov S, Mansour AA, Caspi I, Krupalnik V, Zerbib M, Maza I, Mor N, Baran D, Weinberger L, Jaitin DA, Lara-Astiaso D, Blecher-Gonen R, Shipony Z, Mukamel Z, Hagai T, Gilad S, Amann-Zalcenstein D, Tanay A, Amit I, Novershtern N, Hanna JH