Histone demethylation maintains Prdm14 and Tsix expression and represses xIst in embryonic stem cells

Epigenetic reprogramming is exemplified by the remarkable changes observed in cellular differentiation and X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) in mammalian female cells. Histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) is a modification that suppresses gene expression in multiple contexts including embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and decorates the entire inactive X-chromosome. The conversion of female somatic cells to induced pluripotency is accompanied by X-chromosome reactivation (XCR) and H3K27me3 erasure. Here, we show that the H3K27-specific demethylase Utx regulates the expression of the master regulators for XCI and XCR: Prdm14, Tsix, and Xist. Female ESC transcriptome analysis using a small molecule inhibitor for H3K27 demethylases, GSK-J4, identifies novel targets of H3K27 demethylation. Consistent with a recent report that GSK-J4 can inhibit other Histone Demethylase, we found that elevated H3K4me3 levels are associated with increased gene expression including Xist. Our data suggest multiple regulatory mechanisms for XCI via histone demethylation.