Analysis of genome inactivation mechanism using chromosomal site-specific gene integration

在本研究中，我们首先设计了一种位点特异性的基因整合方法，并建立了两个雌性小鼠品系，它们的两条X染色体携带不同的荧光蛋白基因。X染色体失活现象可以用这些小鼠系来可视化。首次在这些小鼠品系的活细胞中分析了X失活和再激活的过程。利用从Xist基因敲除小鼠和亚洲小鼠亚种杂交个体中分离的雌性体细胞，进行了组蛋白修饰的CHIP-SEQ分析。非活性X和活性X在表观遗传状态上的差异已被揭示。

In this study, we first devised a site-specific gene integration method, and established two female mouse lines, whose two X chromosomes carry different fluorescent protein genes. X chromosome inactivation phenomenon can be visualized using these mouse lines. Processes of X inactivation and reactivation can be analyzed in living cells of these mouse lines for the first time.Using female somatic cells isolated from hybrid individuals between Xist knockout mice and asian mouse subspecies, ChIP-Seq analysis of histone modifications has been conducted. Differences in epigenetic states between inactive X and active X has been revealed.