Precise base editing uncovers NANOG as a key driver of early human embryogenesis

Researchers used adenine base editing (ABE8e) to selectively disrupt NANOG by splicing, enabling a functional knockout without nuclease-induced DNA damage. Loss of NANOG disrupts pluripotent epiblast formation and redirects cells toward primitive endoderm or trophectoderm programs, revealing NANOG’s essential role in human pluripotency and epiblast specification. The study also highlights species-specific differences from mouse development and demonstrates base editing as a powerful tool for probing human embryogenesis.