A Non-Cell Autonomous Role of E(z) to Prevent Germ Cells from Turning on a Somatic Cell Marker

作者：Eun Suk Ho; Shi Zhen; Cui Kairong; Zhao Keji; Chen Xin^*

来源：Science, 2014, 343(6178): 1513-1516.

DOI：10.1126/science.1246514

In many metazoans, germ cells are separated from somatic lineages early in development and maintain their identity throughout life. Here, we show that a Polycomb group (PcG) component, Enhancer of Zeste [E(z)], a histone transferase that generates trimethylation at lysine 27 of histone H3, maintains germline identity in Drosophila adult testes. We find excessive early-stage somatic gonadal cells in E(z) mutant testes, which originate from both overproliferative cyst stem cells and germ cells turning on an early-stage somatic cell marker. Using complementary lineage-tracing experiments in E(z) mutant testes, a portion of excessive early-stage somatic gonadal cells are found to originate from early-stage germ cells, including germline stem cells. Moreover, knocking down E(z) specifically in somatic cells caused this change, which suggests a non-cell autonomous role of E(z) to antagonize somatic identity in germ cells.

• 出版日期2014-3-28