Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE120440: KMT2B is selectively required for neuronal transdifferentiation [RNAseq]

Bulk RNA sequencing

Transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into induced Neuronal cells (iNs) by neuronal-specific transcription factors Brn2, Myt1l and Ascl1 is a paradigmatic example of inter-lineage conversion across epigenetically distant cells. Despite tremendous progress on the transcriptional hierarchy underlying transdifferentiation, the enablers of the concomitant epigenome resetting remain to be elucidated. Here we investigated the role of KMT2A and KMT2B, two histone H3 lysine 4 methylases with cardinal roles in development, through individual and combined inactivation. We found that Kmt2b, whose human homologues mutations cause dystonia, is selectively required for iN conversion through the suppression of the alternative myocyte program and the induction of neuronal maturation genes. SOURCE: Giuseppe Testa (giuseppe.testa@ieo.it) - Stem Cell Epigenetics European Institute of Oncology (IEO)