Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40750602›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

USP17L promotes the 2-cell-like program through deubiquitination of H2AK119ub1 and ZSCAN4.

Panpan Shi, Xukun Lu, Kairang Jin, Linlin Liu, Guoxing Yin, Wenying Wang, Jiao Yang, Lijuan Wang, Lijun Dong, Wei Xie and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

11 authors.

Panpan Shi *State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
Xukun Lu *State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Kairang JinState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
Linlin LiuState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-2688-4492
Guoxing YinState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3302-1102
Wenying WangTsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China.
Jiao YangState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
Lijuan WangTsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China.
Lijun DongTsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China.
Wei XieTsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China. xiewei121@tsinghua.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2126-3849
Lin LiuState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China. liulin@nankai.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9881-6830

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In mouse, minor zygotic genome activation (ZGA) precedes and is essential for major ZGA in two-cell (2C) embryos. A subset of ZGA genes (known as "2C" genes) are also activated in a rare population of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) (2C-like cells). However, the functions of the 2C genes are not fully understood. Here, we find that one family of the 2C genes, Usp17l, plays critical roles in transcriptional and post-translational regulation of the 2C-like state in mESCs. Specifically, USP17LE, a member of the USP17L family, deubiquitinates H2AK119ub1 and promotes the expression of Dux and the downstream 2C genes and retrotransposons. Moreover, USP17LE deubiquitinates and stabilizes ZSCAN4. In mouse pre-implantation embryos, Dux is marked by strong H2AK119ub1 except for the 1-cell and early 2-cell stages. Usp17le overexpression reduces H2AK119ub1 and promotes Dux and 2C gene activation. Thus, our findings identify USP17L as a potential regulator of the 2C program.

Indexed as

EndopeptidasesHistonesTranscription FactorsAnimalsFemaleGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalHomeodomain ProteinsHumansMiceMouse Embryonic Stem CellsUbiquitinationUbiquitin-Specific ProteasesEndopeptidasesHistonesHomeodomain ProteinsTranscription FactorsUbiquitin-Specific Proteases

Identifiers

PMID40750602
PMCPMC12316976

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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.