Rb intrinsically promotes erythropoiesis by coupling cell cycle exit with mitochondrial biogenesis

Abstract

Abstract Regulation of the cell cycle is intimately linked to erythroid differentiation, yet how these processes are coupled at the molecular level is not well understood. In order to gain insight into this coordinate regulation, we examined the role that the retinoblastoma gene product (Rb), a central regulator of the cell cycle, plays in erythropoiesis. A conditional (floxed) Rb gene was specifically deleted in the erythroid compartment by means of EpoR-GFPcre, or in other hematopoietic compartments (with LysM-Cre and Mx1-Cre) in mice. We found that Rb serves a cell-type intrinsic and autonomous role in erythropoiesis. Deletion of Rb in the erythroid compartment results in a..