title: High-level expression of DNA architectural factor HMGA2 and its association with nucleosomes in human embryonic stem cells.
abstract: The state of chromatin in human embryonic stem (hES) cells is a key factor determining stem cell identity. The non-histone chromatin-associated factor HMGA2 has been studied mostly in the mouse where its function seems critical for embryonic cell growth and adipocytic cell differentiation. Here we show that HMGA2 is highly expressed in two undifferentiated human embryonic stem cell lines at a level of at least 10(5) copies per individual stem cell. Interestingly, expression is further upregulated by a factor of three at day 7 of embryoid body formation, before it quickly drops to or below the level found in undifferentiated cells. We also show that HMGA2 is stably associated with inter- and metaphase hES cell chromatin, and that up to 12 HMGA2 protomers stably associate in vitro with a single nucleosome core particle of known atomic structure. Our data lend support to the possibility that HMGA2 interacts with nucleosomes in a way that imposes a global effect on the state of ES cell chromatin, which may contribute to the establishment of both ES cell identity and the initiation of specific differentiation programs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Genomics and Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ou
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dileep
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.forename: Curt A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dröge
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D017931:DNA Primers; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D025743:HMGA2 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D025743:HMGA2 Protein; D009707:Nucleosomes