Author response: SETDB1 enables development beyond cleavage stages by extinguishing the MERVL-driven two-cell totipotency transcriptional program in the mouse embryo

eLife 2026 Open access

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Authors: Tie-Bo Zeng, Zhen Fu, Mary F Majewski, Ji Liao, Marie Adams, Piroska E. Szabó
DOI: 10.7554/elife.109248.2.sa3
Cited by: 0

Abstract

Conditional genetics and single-embryo RNA-seq show that SETDB1 extinguishes the transient, retroelement-driven transcriptional programs of the totipotent two-cell state to facilitate the exit from totipotency and ensure preimplantation development.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Pluripotent Stem Cells Research Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation Epigenetics and DNA Methylation

Publication details

Journal / source
eLife
Publication date
16 February 2026
Language
EN