Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40102626›Full record

ArticleCommunications biology2025

A chromatin-focused CRISPR screen identifies USP22 as a barrier to somatic cell reprogramming.

Gülben Gürhan, Kenan Sevinç, Can Aztekin, Mert Gayretli, Alperen Yılmaz, Abdullah Burak Yıldız, Elif Naz Ervatan, Tunç Morova, Elif Datlı, Oliver D Coleman and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Bioinformatic analysis of the role of USP22 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma.International journal of clinical and experimental pathology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Gülben Gürhan *School of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Kenan Sevinç *School of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1887-3603
Can AztekinSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6544-9752
Mert GayretliSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Alperen YılmazSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Abdullah Burak YıldızSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Elif Naz ErvatanSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-2308-9801
Tunç MorovaSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Elif DatlıSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-4856-2885
Oliver D ColemanChemistry - School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom.
Akane KawamuraChemistry - School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1169-5082
Nathan A LackSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Hamzah SyedSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Tamer ÖnderSchool of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey. tonder@ku.edu.tr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2372-9158

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cell-autonomous barriers to reprogramming somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) remain poorly understood. Using a focused CRISPR-Cas9 screen, we identified Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22) as a key chromatin-based barrier to human iPSC derivation. Suppression of USP22 significantly enhances reprogramming efficiency. Surprisingly, this effect is likely to be independent of USP22's deubiquitinase activity or its association with the SAGA complex, as shown through module-specific knockouts, and genetic rescue experiments. USP22 is not required for iPSC derivation or maintenance. Mechanistically, USP22 loss during reprogramming downregulates fibroblast-specific genes while activating pluripotency-associated genes, including DNMT3L, LIN28A, SOX2, and GDF3. Additionally, USP22 loss enhances reprogramming efficiency under naïve stem cell conditions. These findings reveal an unrecognized role for USP22 in maintaining somatic cell identity and repressing pluripotency genes, highlighting its potential as a target to improve reprogramming efficiency.

Indexed as

Cellular ReprogrammingChromatinCRISPR-Cas SystemsInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsUbiquitin ThiolesteraseClustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic RepeatsFibroblastsHumansChromatinUbiquitin ThiolesteraseUsp22 protein, human

Identifiers

PMID40102626
PMCPMC11920211

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.