RNA-Seq dataset of wild type and PRC2 mutant mouse embryonic stem cells undergoing ground state conversion.

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) represent an exceptional model for understanding how transcriptional responses are regulated by signalling pathways during development. Treatment with a cocktail of MEK and GSK3β inhibitors ("2i") induces ground state pluripotency, characterized by increased self-renewal, reduced DNA methylation, and uniformly high expression of pluripotency markers. Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is a key developmental regulator controlling stem cell self-renewal and differentiation decisions, and altered expression of PRC2 target genes is a signature of 2i-mediated ground state conversion.

Aere perennius: how chromatin fidelity is maintained and lost in disease.

Multicellular organisms arise from a single genome template in the zygote, necessitating the cells of the developing embryo to up- and downregulate specific genes to establish and maintain their identity. This template is maintained, propagated, and interpreted as chromatin, a polymer of nucleic acids and associated structural and regulatory proteins. Recent genome-wide surveys documented a wealth of disease-associated mutations in chromatin factors, indicating their fundamental significance and potential for therapeutic targeting.