Figure 5.

DAZL is required for TET1-mediated hydroxymethylation to a more naïve pluripotent state

Model showing the mechanisms by which DAZL can induce hydroxymethylation in serum-cultured ESCs. DAZL associates with Tet1 mRNA and enhances its translation. Increased Tet1 levels oxidize 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). This can be followed by both active and passive demethylation resulting in the expression of germline and naïve pluripotency genes since TET1 is enriched at the promoters of these genes. DNMTs can subsequently induce DNA methylation again.