Differential roles of YTHDF1 and YTHDF3 in embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte differentiation

N-6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) has emerged as a crucial epitranscriptomic mark which regulates a broad spectrum of physiological processes including stem cell differentiation. m(6)A-binding YTHDF proteins have recently been proposed to mediate differentiation of leukemia cell in a redundant manner. However, whether these proteins play semblable roles in pluripotent stem cell remain largely unknown. Here, we showed the differential functions of YTHDF1 and YTHDF3 in controlling the differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Depletion of YTHDF3 in ESCs resulted in loss of pluripotency with accelerated expressions of marker genes involved in formation of three germ layers. Phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses revealed that loss of YTHDF1 led to dramatic impairment of cardiomyocytes (CMs) differentiation, accompanied by downregulated CM-specific genes. While, knockdown of YTHDF3 accelerated differentiation through facilitating the expressions of CM-specific gene. Notably, YTHDF3 appears to modulate cellular differentiation partially through suppression of YTHDF1, supporting the distinguishable but interrelated roles of YTHDF1 and YTHDF3 in cell fate determination.

Automated summary

N-6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) regulates physiological processes including stem cell differentiation. YTHDF1 and YTHDF3 play different roles in controlling embryonic stem cell differentiation, with YTHDF3 depletion leading to loss of pluripotency and YTHDF1 depletion impairing cardiomyocytes differentiation.