GATA6 Mediates Endoderm and Mesoderm Progenitor Fate Driven by WNT and NODAL Signaling

During gastrulation, NODAL and WNT signaling drives distinct gene regulatory networks (GRNs) to promote pluripotency exit, specify progenitor fate, and direct lineage differentiation. Here, we employ murine embryonic stem cell directed differentiation toward endoderm and mesoderm lineages to reveal a crucial role of GATA6 during anterior primitive streak-derived progenitor segregation. GATA6 is known to direct by default extra-embryonic endoderm. To promote definitive endoderm fate, GATA6 reinforces the endoderm GRN driven by NODAL while repressing the mesoderm GRN through down-regulation of WNT activity. During progression of mesoderm differentiation, GATA6 induces a switch in the transcriptional output regulated by WNT, promoting lateral mesoderm specification and repression of paraxial mesoderm fate. Thus, this single transcription factor mediates formation of four distinct tissue types, depending on integration of NODAL/WNT activities. Regulation of Eomes and T/Bra expression during anterior primitive streak progression is an essential function of GATA6 during the specification of endoderm or mesoderm fate.