{
  "abstract": "The mechanisms that restrict or enable latent cellular plasticity have attracted growing interest over the past decade, with important implications for cancer and regenerative therapies. However, the diversity of both pro- and anti-plasticity mechanisms remains incompletely understood. Here, we identify the THAP domain gene lin-15A as a novel factor involved in the natural rectal-to-neuronal Y-to-PDA transdifferentiation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Our genetic analyses show that lin-15A acts in parallel to previously described plasticity factors. Null mutant suggests that, rather than driving the process, LIN-15A licenses its initiation by antagonizing several chromatin-modifying complexes known to safeguard differentiated cell identities. In addition, our data show that even cells developmentally programmed to undergo transdifferentiation exhibit reprogramming barriers. Interestingly, lin-15A is not a core plasticity factor per se but acts as one specifically in the Y cell context. Together, our findings support a model in which diverse molecular activities coordinate controlled cell identity conversions: plasticity factors function as Drivers, while others like lin-15A, termed here transdifferentiation Licensers, attenuate identity safeguarding mechanisms, thereby facilitating transdifferentiation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Development and Stem Cells, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS UMR 7104, INSERM U1298, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France",
    "Current address: Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland",
    "The Gurdon Institute and Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom",
    "Current address: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland",
    "Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 12,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sarah Frieda Becker"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Marie-Charlotte Morin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Julien Lambert"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Shashi Kumar Suman"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Francesco Nicola Carelli"
    },
    {
      "name": "Alex Appert"
    },
    {
      "name": "Stéphane Roth"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sarah Hoff-Yoessle"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jessica D. Medina-Sanchez"
    },
    {
      "name": "Manuela Portoso"
    },
    {
      "name": "Julie Ahringer"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sophie Jarriault"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/39mksqrcrsvhy.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pgen.1012290",
  "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1012290",
  "id": "39mksqrcrsvhy",
  "issns": [
    "1553-7404",
    "1553-7390"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1012290",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "hal",
      "0.sdv"
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      "openalex",
      "1312|Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Digestive system/Gastrointestinal tract/Rectum"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cell physiology/Transdifferentiation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cell processes/Cell cycle and cell division"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Chromosome biology/Chromatin"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Cell differentiation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Life cycles/Larvae"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Epigenetics/Chromatin"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression/Chromatin"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Molecular biology/Molecular biology techniques/Cloning"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Invertebrates/Nematoda/Caenorhabditis/Caenorhabditis elegans"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Invertebrates/Nematoda/Caenorhabditis/Caenorhabditis elegans"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Digestive system/Gastrointestinal tract/Rectum"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Animal models/Caenorhabditis elegans"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Model organisms/Caenorhabditis elegans"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Model organisms/Caenorhabditis elegans"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Molecular biology techniques/Cloning"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214343933",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1012290&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-25",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/39mksqrcrsvhy.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:43Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pgen.1012290",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1012290"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:43Z",
      "native_id": "hal-05769045",
      "source": "hal",
      "url": "https://hal.science/hal-05769045v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "hal:2.sdv.bbm.gtp",
      "subfield": "proteomics-metabolomics"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:developmental biology",
      "subfield": "developmental-biology"
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    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:anatomy",
      "subfield": "physiology"
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  ],
  "title": "The SynMuvA lin-15A licenses natural transdifferentiation by antagonizing identity safeguarding mechanisms",
  "title_text": "The SynMuvA lin-15A licenses natural transdifferentiation by antagonizing identity safeguarding mechanisms",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:43Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/39mksqrcrsvhy",
  "venue": "PLOS Genetics",
  "versions": []
}