Yan, D., Neumüller, R.A., Buckner, M., Ayers, K., Li, H., Hu, Y., Yang-Zhou, D., Pan, L., Wang, X., Kelley, C., Vinayagam, A., Binari, R., Randklev, S., Perkins, L.A., Xie, T., Cooley, L., Perrimon, N. (2014). A regulatory network of Drosophila germline stem cell self-renewal.  Dev. Cell 28(4): 459--473.

FBrf0224232

Research paper

Stem cells possess the capacity to generate two cells of distinct fate upon division: one cell retaining stem cell identity and the other cell destined to differentiate. These cell fates are established by cell-type-specific genetic networks. To comprehensively identify components of these networks, we performed a large-scale RNAi screen in Drosophila female germline stem cells (GSCs) covering ∼25% of the genome. The screen identified 366 genes that affect GSC maintenance, differentiation, or other processes involved in oogenesis. Comparison of GSC regulators with neural stem cell self-renewal factors identifies common and cell-type-specific self-renewal genes. Importantly, we identify the histone methyltransferase Set1 as a GSC-specific self-renewal factor. Loss of Set1 in neural stem cells does not affect cell fate decisions, suggesting a differential requirement of H3K4me3 in different stem cell lineages. Altogether, our study provides a resource that will help to further dissect the networks underlying stem cell self-renewal.

PMC3998650 (PMC) (EuropePMC)