Polycomb Repressor Complex 2 and REST-associated histone deacetylases are independent pathways toward a mature neuronal phenotype.
These experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that REST and Polycomb Repressor Complex 2 function cooperatively in undifferentiated ESCs. Our results showed that a majority of REST-bound genomic regions were not associated with H3K27me3 enrichment and loss of H3K27me3 enrichment was not a general observation in REST -/- ESCs. These results support the conclusion that REST and PRC2 function independently in ESCs and similarly contribute to maintaing a transcriptionally poised state through antagonism of H3K4me3. Overall design: Examination of REST-bound regions in undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC), and a comparison of H3K27me3 distribution between WT and REST-/- ESCs.