News Finding: When Chisolm and Weinmann tested embryonic stem cells, they found that one-third of the genes that were alpha-ketoglutarate-inducible in the embryonic stem cells were associated with the locations of alpha-ketoglutarate-inducible CTCF binding peaks in Th1 cells.
Paper Finding: In part, this is due to a similar complement of transcription factors playing dual roles regulating both the gene expression programs associated with differentiation and specific metabolic pathways .
News Context: One interesting thing they noticed was that a subset of the genome binding sites for CTCF after alpha-ketoglutarate stimulation of T helper 1 (Th1) cells were associated with genes that were known to be expressed early in development, including in embryonic stem cells. When Chisolm and Weinmann tested embryonic stem cells, they found that one-third of the genes that were alpha-ketoglutarate-inducible in the embryonic stem cells were associated with the locations of alpha-ketoglutarate-inducible CTCF binding peaks in Th1 cells. Thus, control sites used during embryo growth were also likely being used to control T cell changes after an immune challenge.
Paper Context: The data collectively support a mechanism wherein CTCF serves to translate aKG-sensitive metabolic changes into context-dependent differentiation gene programs. In part, this is due to a similar complement of transcription factors playing dual roles regulating both the gene expression programs associated with differentiation and specific metabolic pathways . Metabolic reprogramming in ES cells plays a role in broadly regulating epigenetic states through the ability of metabolites to serve as donors and substrates for DNA and histone modifications, as well as co-factors for epigenetic-modifying complexes .