MOF-associated complexes have overlapping and unique roles in regulating pluripotency in embryonic stem cells and during differentiation [array]

The histone acetyltransferase (HAT) Mof is essential for mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) pluripotency and early development. Mof is the enzymatic subunit of two different HAT complexes, MSL (Male-Specific Lethal) and NSL (Non-specific lethal). The individual contribution of MSL and NSL complexes to transcription regulation in mESCs is not well understood. Our genome-wide analysis of MSL and NSL localization show that i) MSL and NSL bind to specific and common sets of expressed genes, ii) NSL binds at promoters, iii) while MSL binds in gene bodies. Knockdown of Msl1 leads to a global loss of histone H4K16ac indicating that MSL is the main HAT acetylating H4K16 in mESCs. MSL was enriched at many mESC-specific genes, but also at bivalent domains. Thus, NSL and MSL HAT complexes differentially regulate specific sets of expressed genes in mESCs. Furthermore, MSL is essential for the regulation of key mESC-specific and bivalent developmental genes.