RNA-seq of Mus musculus: WT and MTCH2 KO Naïve & Primed mouse embryonic stem cells

The role of mitochondria dynamics and its molecular regulators remains largely unknown during naïve-to-primed pluripotent cell interconversion. Here we report that mitochondrial MTCH2 is a regulator of mitochondrial fusion, essential for the naïve-to-primed interconversion of murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs). During this interconversion, wild-type ESCs elongate their mitochondria and slightly alter their glutamine utilization. In contrast, MTCH2-/- ESCs fail to elongate their mitochondria and to alter their metabolism, maintaining high levels of histone acetylation and expression of naïve pluripotency markers. Importantly, enforced mitochondria elongation by the pro-fusion protein Mitofusin (MFN) 2 or by a dominant negative form of the pro-fission protein dynamin-related protein (DRP) 1 is sufficient to drive the exit from naïve pluripotency of both MTCH2-/- and wild-type ESCs. Taken together, our data indicate that mitochondria elongation, governed by MTCH2, plays a critical role and constitutes an early driving force in the naïve-to-primed pluripotency interconversion of murine ESCs. Overall design: Examination of WT and MTCH2 KO ESC and EpiLC mouse embryonic stem cells transcriptome

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Bahat A, Goldman A, Zaltsman Y, Khan DH, Halperin C, Amzallag E, Krupalnik V, Mullokandov M, Silberman A, Erez A, Schimmer AD, Hanna JH, Gross A