NAD+ Metabolism Licenses Zygotic Genome Activation via PARP7-Mediated ADP-Ribosylation of UHRF1 in Mouse Early Embryos.

Abstract

Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is a critical developmental milestone whose metabolic regulation remains unclear. This study identifies a pivotal role for Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism in regulating ZGA through poly(ADP‑ribose) polymerase 7(PARP7)-mediated ADP-ribosylation. Using ultra-low input embryo metabolomics, we profiled metabolism from zygote to blastocyst, revealing a significant NAD+ decline at the 2-cell stage. This shift coincided with specific upregulation of the mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase PARP7, confirmed by transcriptomics, quantitative RT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence. Genetic knockdown via trim-away technology or pharmacological inhibition with RBN-2397 caused developmental delay/arrest at the 2-cell stage, impaired blastocyst formation, and defective ZGA. Mechanistically, PARP7 deficiency reduced chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq), diminished H3K4ac and H3K27ac marks, and impaired RNA polymerase II transcription. Integrated proteomics and ADP-ribosylome analysis of late 2-cell embryos identified UHRF1 as a key PARP7 target, mono-ADP-ribosylated at lysines K30 and K31. This modification stabilized UHRF1 protein (cycloheximide chase), and UHRF1 overexpression partially rescued the transcriptional defects associated with ZGA from PARP7 inhibition. Our findings establish a metabolic-epigenetic axis wherein NAD+ metabolism, via PARP7-mediated ADP-ribosylation of UHRF1, regulates chromatin remodeling and transcriptional activation during ZGA, offering fundamental insights into early development.