Prdm14 promotes germline fate and naive pluripotency by repressing FGF signalling and DNA methylation.

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) and somatic cells originate from postimplantation epiblast cells in mice. As pluripotency is lost upon differentiation of somatic lineages, a naive epigenome and the pluripotency network are re-established during PGC development. Here we demonstrate that Prdm14 contributes not only to PGC specification, but also to naive pluripotency in embryonic stem (ES) cells by repressing the DNA methylation machinery and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling. This indicates a critical role for Prdm14 in programming PGCs and promoting pluripotency in ES cells.