Functional dissection of enhancers in 2-Cell embryo with an in vitro model [ATAC-seq]

Here, we functionally dissect the enhancers across the mouse genome in DUX-induced 2C-like cells. Integrated analysis with the epigenetic modifications and RNA transcriptiome in both 2C-like cells and 2C embryos, regions which show enhancer activities and their potential downstream target gens were depicted.

Among them, a notable proportion of promoters exhibits enhancer activities in totipotent cells. Those promoter regions are characterized by elevated levels of open chromatin-associated epigenetic modifications, which correlate with enhanced gene expression during ZGA. Our data further reveal that class Ⅲ mouse endogenous retrovirus (MERV)-related enhancers are enriched in 2C-like cells and nearly half of MERVL-LTR (Mt2_mm) elements exhibit enhancer activities, which have been mapped and characterized within the genome.