Abstract
Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) are prototypical in vitro models of pluripotent stem cells. They are characterized by a capacity for infinite self-renewal while retaining the ability to differentiate into each of the cell types of the embryo. The maintenance of their pluripotent state relies on a complex regulatory network involving cytokine signaling and transcriptional controls at genetic and epigenetic levels. More recently, it has become evident that mESC pluripotency requires a specific nutritional environment. We now understand that mESC pluripotency is critically dependent on threonine catabolism for provision of one- and two-carbon donors for pluripotency-related chromatin modifications. In this chapter, we provide a comprehensive overview of the cellular processes required for the maintenance of mESC pluripotency, including signaling pathways, transcriptional networks, and epigenetic regulation. In addition, we discuss the latest developments concerning the unique dependence of mESC on threonine and the role of the amino acid in establishing the epigenetic status required for mESC self-renewal.
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Abbreviations
- CDK:
-
Cyclin dependent kinase
- DNMT:
-
DNA methyltransferases
- EC:
-
Embryonal carcinoma
- Erk:
-
Extracellular signal-related kinase
- ESC:
-
Embryonic stem cells
- GCAT:
-
2-amino-3-oxobutyrate coenzyme A ligase
- GCS:
-
Glycine cleavage system
- GLDC:
-
Glycine decarboxylase
- GSK3:
-
Glycogen synthase kinase 3
- HAT:
-
Histone acetyltransferase
- hCys:
-
Homocysteine
- HMT:
-
Histone methyltransferase
- ICM:
-
Inner cell mass
- iPSC:
-
Induced pluripotent stem cell
- JAK:
-
Janus-associated kinases
- LIF:
-
Leukemia inhibitory factor
- LIFR:
-
Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor
- mESC:
-
Mouse embryonic stem cells
- Met:
-
Methionine
- pRB:
-
Phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein
- RB:
-
Retinoblastoma protein
- SAH:
-
S-adenosyl homocysteine
- SAM:
-
S-adenosylmethionine
- TCA:
-
Tricarboxylic acid
- TDH:
-
Threonine dehydrogenase
- TrxG:
-
Trithorax group
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Jog, R., Chen, G., Leff, T., Wang, J. (2019). Threonine Catabolism: An Unexpected Epigenetic Regulator of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. In: Patel, V., Preedy, V. (eds) Handbook of Nutrition, Diet, and Epigenetics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55530-0_103
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55530-0_103
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