Abstract
Germ cell fate in mice is induced in proximal epiblast cells by the extra-embryonic ectoderm, and is not acquired through the inheritance of any preformed germ plasm. To determine precisely how germ cells are specified, we performed a genetic screen between single nascent germ cells and their somatic neighbours that share common ancestry. Here we show that fragilis, an interferon-inducible transmembrane protein, marks the onset of germ cell competence, and we propose that through homotypic association, it demarcates germ cells from somatic neighbours. Using single-cell gene expression profiles, we also show that only those cells with the highest expression of fragilis subsequently express stella, a gene that we detected exclusively in lineage-restricted germ cells. The stella positive nascent germ cells exhibit repression of homeobox genes, which may explain their escape from a somatic cell fate and the retention of pluripotency.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4
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Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / deficiency
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Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / genetics
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Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / metabolism
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Cell Differentiation*
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Cell Lineage*
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Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
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Down-Regulation
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Ectoderm / cytology
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Ectoderm / physiology
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Embryonic Induction
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Female
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Gene Deletion
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Gene Expression Profiling
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
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Genes, Homeobox / genetics
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Germ Cells / cytology*
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Germ Cells / metabolism*
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Immunohistochemistry
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In Situ Hybridization
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism
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Mice
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Mice, Knockout
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RNA, Messenger / genetics
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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Repressor Proteins / genetics
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Repressor Proteins / metabolism
Substances
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Bmp4 protein, mouse
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Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4
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Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
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Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
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Dppa3 protein, mouse
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Membrane Proteins
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RNA, Messenger
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Repressor Proteins
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fragilis protein, mouse