Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41832971›Full record

ArticleProtein & cell2026

Phase separation of DUX family proteins drives totipotent-like state via 3D genome reorganization and retrotransposon activation.

Leilei Gao, Qifeng Gao, Na Hai, Ziqiang Wu, Penghui Li, Han Kang, Xiaohui Song, Jinlian Hua, Shiqiang Zhang, Gang Ren and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Protein & cell, 2026. 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. Review
  2. Cells · 2026
    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

15 authors.

Leilei GaoCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7456-0447
Qifeng GaoCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.ORCID 0009-0003-4999-048X
Na HaiState Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.ORCID 0009-0003-9554-3445
Ziqiang WuRNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Penghui LiRNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Han KangCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.ORCID 0009-0003-5117-5695
Xiaohui SongCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
Jinlian HuaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.ORCID 0000-0001-9788-8592
Shiqiang ZhangCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.ORCID 0000-0002-0414-4365
Gang RenKey Laboratory of Livestock Biology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.ORCID 0000-0001-9690-5995
Jihong YangBoYu Intelligent Health Innovation Laboratory, Hangzhou 311121, China.ORCID 0000-0002-2753-0939
Leqian YuKey Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2060-463X
Yulei WeiState Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.ORCID 0000-0002-4284-8558
Junjun DingRNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9936-882X
Fan YangCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.ORCID 0000-0002-4269-128X

Funding

Chinese Universities Scientific Fund 2452024390Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation 2023A1515111039Key Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue EngineeringNational Key R&D Program of China 2022YFD1302200National Key R&D Program of China 2023YFA1800900National Natural Science Foundation of China 32100638National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars 32425022Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi 2025JC-QYCX-021Postdoctoral Research Project of Shaanxi Province 2023BSHTBZZ28Qin Chuangyuan high-level innovation and entrepreneurship talent program 2021QCYRC4-52Sun Yat-Sen UniversityThe Science Foundation of China 2022M712609
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The acquisition of totipotency requires transcriptional activation of endogenous retroviruses (MERVL/HERVL) and zygotic genome activation (ZGA) related genes, yet the molecular mechanisms linking chromatin architecture to this process remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that mouse Dux and human DUX4, double homeobox transcription factors essential for totipotency, form liquid-liquid phase-separated (LLPS) condensates through conserved arginine residues within intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) in the Homeobox domain. These condensates recruit CBP/p300 and CTCF to establish super-enhancers (SEs) at MERVL/MT2 loci, enabling H3K27ac deposition and chromatin accessibility. Hi-C analysis revealed that DUX-driven phase separation facilitates 3D genome reorganization, including de novo formation of enhancer-promoter loops and TAD boundary shifts. Disruption of LLPS (DUXR70A) abolished SE assembly, transcriptional activation, and embryonic chimerism. Strikingly, human DUX4 required phase separation for both myotoxic gene activation and cytotoxicity in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) models. Our study establishes a paradigm wherein phase separation integrates transcriptional control with 3D genome remodeling to license totipotency, with direct implications for developmental biology and disease therapy.

Indexed as

GenomeHomeodomain ProteinsRetroelementsAnimalsCCCTC-Binding FactorChromatinHumansMicePhase SeparationSuper EnhancersTranscriptional ActivationCCCTC-Binding FactorChromatinDUX4L1 protein, humanDux4 protein, mouseHomeodomain ProteinsRetroelements3D genome reorganizationDUXMERVLphase separationsuper-enhancerstotipotency-like state

Identifiers

PMID41832971
PMCPMC13521275

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.