Rebooting the Epigenomes during Mammalian Early Embryogenesis

Upon fertilization, terminally differentiated gametes are transformed to a totipotent zygote, which gives rise to an embryo. How parental epigenetic memories are inherited and reprogrammed to accommodate parental-to-zygotic transition remains a fundamental question in developmental biology, epigenetics, and stem cell biology. With the rapid advancement of ultra-sensitive or single-cell epigenome analysis methods, unusual principles of epigenetic reprogramming begin to be unveiled. Emerging data reveal that in many species, the parental epigenome undergoes dramatic reprogramming followed by subsequent re-establishment of the embryo epigenome, leading to epigenetic “rebooting.” Here, we discuss recent progress in understanding epigenetic reprogramming and their functions during mammalian early development. We also highlight the conserved and species-specific principles underlying diverse regulation of the epigenome in early embryos during evolution.