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Abstract
Drastic epigenetic reprogramming takes place during preimplantation development, leading
to the conversion of terminally differentiated gametes to a totipotent embryo. Deficiencies
in remodeling of the epigenomes can cause severe developmental defects, including
embryonic lethality. However, how chromatin modifications and chromatin organization
are reprogrammed upon fertilization in mammals has long remained elusive. Here, we
review recent progress in understanding how the epigenome is dynamically regulated
during early mammalian development. The latest studies, including many from genome-wide
perspectives, have revealed unusual principles of reprogramming for histone modifications,
chromatin accessibility, and 3D chromatin architecture. These advances have shed light
on the regulatory network controlling the earliest development and maternal-zygotic
transition.