Lineage-specific enhancer insertions regulate Prdm14 to drive the rapid transition from naïve to formative pluripotency in rodents

The network of transcription factors is dynamically reorganized during the transition from naïve to formative pluripotency. In mice, Prdm14 is expressed in naïve pluripotent cells but rapidly downregulated upon exit from the naïve state. In contrast, PRDM14 expression persists throughout pluripotency transitions in non-rodent mammals, including pigs and humans. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the rodent-specific expression of Prdm14. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletions, we demonstrated that POU5F1 (also known as OCT4) and TFCP2L1 recognition sequences within Muroidea-specific cis-regulatory elements located downstream of Prdm14 are essential for its transcriptional upregulation in naïve embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Loss of these enhancers attenuates the upregulation of Prdm14, leading to reduced Pramel7 induction and impaired degradation of UHRF1, which consequently diminished global DNA demethylation under 2iL conditions. Moreover, deletion of PRDM14-binding motifs in Muroidea-specific enhancers disrupts its negative feedback loop, resulting in a delayed transition from the naïve to formative pluripotent state. Our findings reveal that rodent-specific enhancer insertions endow Prdm14 with a dynamic regulatory architecture, enabling both activation and repression that collectively ensure the timely exit from naïve pluripotency during early embryogenesis.