Description
Expression of key transcription factors Klf4, Oct3/4, Sox2, and c-Myc (KOSM) in embryonic stem cells can reprogram somatic cells into pluripotent cells. We found that two histone variants, TH2A and TH2B, and histone chaperone Npm enhance the KOSM-dependent generation of induced pluripotent cells (iPSCs) and produce iPSCs only with Klf4 and Oct3/4. To identify directly affected genes by these histone variants during reprogramming, we carried out gene expression profiling of MEFs overexpressing TH2A/TH2B/Npm and TH2A/TH2B deficient MEFs after infection with retroviruses expressing KOSM.