| First Author | Hasegawa K | Year | 2015 |
| Journal | Dev Cell | Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 574-88 |
| PubMed ID | 25703348 | Mgi Jnum | J:225041 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5690082 | Doi | 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.01.014 |
| Citation | Hasegawa K, et al. (2015) SCML2 establishes the male germline epigenome through regulation of histone H2A ubiquitination. Dev Cell 32(5):574-88 |
| abstractText | Gametogenesis is dependent on the expression of germline-specific genes. However, it remains unknown how the germline epigenome is distinctly established from that of somatic lineages. Here we show that genes commonly expressed in somatic lineages and spermatogenesis-progenitor cells undergo repression in a genome-wide manner in late stages of the male germline and identify underlying mechanisms. SCML2, a germline-specific subunit of a Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1), establishes the unique epigenome of the male germline through two distinct antithetical mechanisms. SCML2 works with PRC1 and promotes RNF2-dependent ubiquitination of H2A, thereby marking somatic/progenitor genes on autosomes for repression. Paradoxically, SCML2 also prevents RNF2-dependent ubiquitination of H2A on sex chromosomes during meiosis, thereby enabling unique epigenetic programming of sex chromosomes for male reproduction. Our results reveal divergent mechanisms involving a shared regulator by which the male germline epigenome is distinguished from that of the soma and progenitor cells. |
