title: The Transcriptome and DNA Methylome Landscapes of Human Primordial Germ Cells.
abstract: Germ cells are vital for transmitting genetic information from one generation to the next and for maintaining the continuation of species. Here, we analyze the transcriptome of human primordial germ cells (PGCs) from the migrating stage to the gonadal stage at single-cell and single-base resolutions. Human PGCs show unique transcription patterns involving the simultaneous expression of both pluripotency genes and germline-specific genes, with a subset of them displaying developmental-stage-specific features. Furthermore, we analyze the DNA methylome of human PGCs and find global demethylation of their genomes. Approximately 10 to 11 weeks after gestation, the PGCs are nearly devoid of any DNA methylation, with only 7.8% and 6.0% of the median methylation levels in male and female PGCs, respectively. Our work paves the way toward deciphering the complex epigenetic reprogramming of the germline with the aim of restoring totipotency in fertilized oocytes.
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Hongshan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Boqiang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Yangyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Yuqiong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Xiaoye
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Wenxin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Jingyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Sirui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Yixin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC.
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC.
authors.forename: Yi Qin
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, PRC; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Center for Molecular and Translational Medicine, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PRC. Electronic address: tangfuchou@pku.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Fuchou
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, PRC; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PRC; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Beijing 100191, PRC. Electronic address: jie.qiao@263.net.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D002465:Cell Movement; D041321:Chromosomes, Human, X; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D055747:SOX Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D055747:SOX Transcription Factors; C102810:SOX15 protein, human