HELQ deficiency impairs the induction of primordial germ cell‐like cells
Cong Wan,
Yaping Huang,
Xingguo Xue,
Gang Chang,
Mei Wang,
Xiao‐Yang Zhao,
Fang Luo,
Zhi‐Zhong Tang
Affiliations
Cong Wan
Maoming People's Hospital China
Yaping Huang
State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Xingguo Xue
State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Gang Chang
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Shenzhen University Health Science Center China
Mei Wang
State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Xiao‐Yang Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Fang Luo
State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences Southern Medical University Guangzhou China
Helicase POLQ‐like (HELQ) is a DNA helicase essential for the maintenance of genome stability. A recent study identified two HELQ missense mutations in some cases of infertile men. However, the functions of HELQ in the process of germline specification are not well known and whether its function is conserved between mouse and human remains unclear. Here, we revealed that Helq knockout (Helq−/−) could significantly reduce the efficiency of mouse primordial germ cell‐like cell (PGCLC) induction. In addition, Helq−/− embryonic bodies exhibited a severe apoptotic phenotype on day 6 of mouse PGCLC induction. p53 inhibitor treatment could partially rescue the generation of mouse PGCLCs from Helq mutant mouse embryonic stem cells. Finally, the genetic ablation of HELQ could also significantly impede the induction of human PGCLCs. Collectively, our study sheds light on the involvement of HELQ in the induction of both mouse and human PGCLCs, providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying germline differentiation and the genetic studies of human fertility.
