Chromatin Regulation of Early Embryonic Lineage Specification

Shinnosuke Suzuki, Naojiro Minami, Suzuki, Shinnosuke, Minami, Naojiro

In mammals, the processes spanning from fertilization to the generation of a new organism are very complex and are controlled by multiple genes. Life begins with the encounter of eggs and spermatozoa, in which gene expression is inactive prior to fertilization. After several cell divisions, cells arise that are specialized in implantation, a developmental process unique to mammals. Cells involved in the establishment and maintenance of implantation differentiate from totipotent embryos, and the remaining cells generate the embryo proper. Although this process of differentiation, termed cell lineage specification, is supported by various gene expression networks, many components have yet to be identified. Moreover, despite extensive research it remains unclear which genes are controlled by each of the factors involved. Although it has become clear that epigenetic factors regulate gene expression, elucidation of the underlying mechanisms remains challenging. In this chapter, we propose that the chromatin remodeling factor CHD1, together with epigenetic factors, is involved in a subset of gene expression networks involved in processes spanning from zygotic genome activation to cell lineage specification.