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Embryonic development

The explosive discovery of TNT in early mouse embryos

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology volume 31, pages 852–855 (2024)Cite this article

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The molecular mechanisms that regulate the transition from totipotency into divergent cellular states are unclear. Two new studies show that the transcription factors TFAP2C, NR5A2 and TEAD4 (TNT) support the formation of a transient bipotent state by activating early pluripotency and trophectoderm genes and modulating HIPPO signaling.

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Fig. 1: Overview of mouse preimplantation embryo development and developmental transitions in cellular potency.
Fig. 2: Establishment of a bipotent cellular state via lineage-specific transcription factors and the HIPPO signaling pathway.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Child Health and Development (NICHD) to J.G.K. (HD095371). C.S.D. was supported by a T32 doctoral fellowship from the NICHD (HD087166).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Developmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Chad S. Driscoll, Jaehwan Kim & Jason G. Knott

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  1. Chad S. Driscoll
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  2. Jaehwan Kim
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  3. Jason G. Knott
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Correspondence to Jason G. Knott.

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Driscoll, C.S., Kim, J. & Knott, J.G. The explosive discovery of TNT in early mouse embryos. Nat Struct Mol Biol 31, 852–855 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-024-01304-8

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