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Hoffmann, R. A wiki for the life sciences where authorship matters. Nature Genetics (2008)
 
 
 
 
 

Triggering neural differentiation of ES cells by subtype switching of importin-alpha.

Nuclear proteins are selectively imported into the nucleus by transport factors such as importin-alpha and importin-beta. Here, we show that the expression of importin-alpha subtypes is strictly regulated during neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells, and that the switching of importin-alpha subtype expression is critical for neural differentiation. Moreover, reproducing the switching of importin-alpha subtype expression in undifferentiated ES cells induced neural differentiation in the presence of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and serum, coordinated with the regulated expression of Oct3/4, Brn2 and SOX2, which are involved in ES-neural identity determination. These transcription factors were selectively imported into the nucleus by specific subtypes of importin-alpha. Thus, importin-alpha subtype switching has a major impact on cell differentiation through the regulated nuclear import of a specific set of transcription factors. This is the first study to propose that transport factors should be considered as major players in cell-fate determination.[1]

References

  1. Triggering neural differentiation of ES cells by subtype switching of importin-alpha. Yasuhara, N., Shibazaki, N., Tanaka, S., Nagai, M., Kamikawa, Y., Oe, S., Asally, M., Kamachi, Y., Kondoh, H., Yoneda, Y. Nat. Cell Biol. (2007) [Pubmed]
 
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