Robert H. Blelloch

KMT2C and KMT2D amplify GRHL2-driven enhancer activation

This study develops an inducible system to study enhancer activation in ESCs and shows that KMT2C/D amplify GRHL2-driven enhancer activation.

The miR-290 and miR-302 clusters are essential for reprogramming of fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells

This study shows that miR-290 and miR-302 clusters are essential for reprogramming fibroblasts to iPSCs, but individually are not required, while their combined loss blocks the process.

Synergy between cis-regulatory elements can render cohesin dispensable for distal enhancer function

This study shows that cohesin is not always necessary for enhancer function, as some enhancers can act independently through synergy or insulators.

Coordinate post-transcriptional regulation by microRNAs and RNA binding proteins is critical for early embryonic cell fate decisions

The paper shows that coordinated regulation of the Pfn2 transcript by microRNAs and RNA binding proteins is essential for ESC differentiation into germ layer lineages.

A Multiomics, Spatiotemporal, and Single Cell Atlas for Mapping Cell-Type-Specific Dysregulation at the Maternal-Fetal Interface

This study creates a comprehensive single-cell atlas of the maternal-fetal interface, identifying cell-type-specific dysregulation in pregnancy complications.

MLL3/MLL4 enzymatic activity shapes DNA replication timing

The paper identifies MLL3/MLL4 enzymatic activity as a regulator of DNA replication timing through H3K4me1 modification, showing its role in chromatin structure and replication dynamics during differentiation.

Loss of MLL3/4 decouples enhancer H3K4 monomethylation, H3K27 acetylation, and gene activation during ESC differentiation

This study shows that MLL3/4 are essential for dynamic enhancer histone modifications but not for stable ones, and their loss does not impair transcriptional activation of nearby genes.

Regionally distinct trophoblast regulate barrier function and invasion in the human placenta

The paper uses single-cell RNA sequencing to identify a novel cytotrophoblast population in the smooth chorion of the human placenta that functions as a barrier and restricts EVT invasion.

MicroRNA-dependent inhibition of PFN2 orchestrates ERK activation and pluripotent state transitions by regulating endocytosis

This study identifies a miR-290-PFN2 axis that regulates endocytosis and ERK signaling, affecting ESC self-renewal and differentiation.

Decoupling the impact of microRNAs on translational repression versus RNA degradation in embryonic stem cells

The paper investigates the role of DDX6 in linking microRNA functions to mRNA stability and translation in ESCs, finding that DDX6 loss separates microRNA's translational repression from transcript destabilization.