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New insights into mechanisms regulating gene expression in embryonic stem cells

June 1st, 2017

Researchers from Turku, Finland, have discovered new information about the mechanisms that maintain gene activity in human embryonic stem cells. This mechanism is essential for the self-renewal of stem cells. The two research groups that made the discovery work at the Turku Centre for Biotechnology. The study was conducted in cooperation with researchers from Aalto University, the University of Tampere and Karolinska Institutet.

Embryonic stem cells have a unique ability to form all the cell and tissue types of an adult human body. The mechanisms that control this ability have been the target of active research, as stem cells are expected to be an important tool in future medicine. The research results have been reported in the Stem Cell Reports journal.

"Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms of how POLR3G gene regulates stem cell state, which in turn sheds light on the complex mechanisms with which human embryonic stem cells both self-renew and maintain the ability to differentiate. The results point to indirect genomic regulatory mechanisms which are important for embryonic stem cells and maintain gene expression," says Riikka Lund.

Stem cell research is one of the central research areas of modern medicine. The current and most important applications of stem cell research are related to disease diagnostics and treatment. For example, one of the goals of stem cell research is to develop methods for the replacement of damaged tissues in the future. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate the self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells is important, in order that stem cells can be effectively and safely utilised in medical applications in the future.

More information:
Riikka J. Lund et al, RNA Polymerase III Subunit POLR3G Regulates Specific Subsets of PolyA +and SmallRNA Transcriptomes and Splicing in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells, Stem Cell Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.04.016

Provided by University of Turku

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