Use of genome-wide RNAi screens to identify regulators of embryonic stem cell pluripotency and self-renewal

Abstract

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are characterized by two defining features: pluripotency and self-renewal. They hold tremendous promise for both basic research and regenerative medicine. To fully realize their potentials, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms regulating ESC pluripotency and self- renewal. The development of RNA interference (RNAi) technology has revolutionized functional genetic studies in mammalian cells. In recent years, genome-wide RNAi screens have been adopted to systematically study ESC biology, and have uncovered many previously unknown regulators, including transcription factors, chromatin remodelers, and posttranscriptional modulators. Here, we describe a method for the identification of regulators of ESC pluripotency and self-renewal using RNAi screens, as well as assays for further validation and characterization of the identifi ed candidates. With modifications, this method can also be adapted to study the fate specification events during ESC differentiation.