GSE50200
Distinct roles of Tet1 and Tet2 in mouse embryonic stem cells (CMS-Seq)
The TET proteins TET1, TET2 and TET3 constitute a new family of dioxygenases that utilize molecular oxygen and the cofactors Fe(II) and 2-oxoglutarate to convert 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxy-methylcytosine (5hmC) and further oxidation products in DNA1-5. Here we show that Tet1 and Tet2 have distinct roles in regulating 5hmC deposition and gene expression in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC). Tet1 depletion in mESC primarily diminishes 5hmC levels at transcription start sites (TSS), whereas Tet2 depletion is mostly associated with decreased 5hmC in gene bodies relative to TSS. 5hmC is enriched at exon start and end sites, especially in exons that are highly expressed, and is significantly decreased upon Tet2 knockdown at the boundaries of high-expressed exons that are selectively regulated by Tet2. In differentiating murine B cells, Tet2 deficiency is associated with selective exon exclusion in the gene encoding the transmembrane phosphatase CD45. Tet2 depletion is associated with increased 5hmC and decreased 5mC at promoters/ TSS regions, possibly because of the redundant activity of Tet1. Together, these data indicate a complex interplay between Tet1 and Tet2 in mESC, and show that loss-of-function of a single TET protein does not necessarily lead to loss of 5hmC and a corresponding gain of 5mC, as generally assumed. The relation between Tet2 loss-of-function and selective changes in exon expression could potentially explain the frequent occurrence of both TET2 loss-of-function mutations and mutations in proteins involved in pre-mRNA splicing in myeloid malignancies in humans. Overall design: Gene and exon expression analysis in mESC, Tet1 knockdown mESC, and Tet2 knockdown mESC by RNA-sequencing. Mapping of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in mESC, Tet1 knockdown mESC, and Tet2 knockdown mESC by anti-CMS-seq. Mapping of methylcytosine in mESC, and Tet2 kd mESC by MeDIP-seq.