scholarly journals A gene expression atlas of embryonic neurogenesis in Drosophila reveals complex spatiotemporal regulation of lncRNAs

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra L. McCorkindale ◽  
Philipp Wahle ◽  
Sascha Werner ◽  
Irwin Jungreis ◽  
Peter Menzel ◽  
...  

Summary statementWe present a spatiotemporal transcriptome during early Drosophila embryonic nervous system development, revealing a complex cell type-specific network of mRNAs and lncRNAs.AbstractCell type specification during early nervous system development in Drosophila melanogaster requires precise regulation of gene expression in time and space. Resolving the programs driving neurogenesis has been a major challenge owing to the complexity and rapidity with which distinct cell populations arise. To resolve the cell type-specific gene expression dynamics in early nervous system development, we have sequenced the transcriptomes of purified neurogenic cell types across consecutive time points covering critical events in neurogenesis. The resulting gene expression atlas comprises a detailed resource of global transcriptome dynamics that permits systematic analysis of how cells in the nervous system acquire distinct fates. We resolve known gene expression dynamics and uncover novel expression signatures for hundreds of genes among diverse neurogenic cell types, most of which remain unstudied. We also identified a set of conserved and tissue-specifically regulated long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that exhibit spatiotemporal expression during neurogenesis with exquisite specificity. LncRNA expression is highly dynamic and demarcates specific subpopulations within neurogenic cell types. Our spatiotemporal transcriptome atlas provides a comprehensive resource to investigate the function of coding genes and noncoding RNAs during critical stages of early neurogenesis.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianbo Li ◽  
Ligang Wang ◽  
Dawei Yu ◽  
Junfeng Hao ◽  
Longchao Zhang ◽  
...  

Thoracolumbar vertebra (TLV) and rib primordium (RP) development is a common evolutionary feature across vertebrates although whole-organism analysis of TLV and RP gene expression dynamics has been lacking. Here we investigated the single-cell transcriptomic landscape of thoracic vertebra (TV), lumbar vertebra (LV), and RP cells from a pig embryo at 27 days post-fertilization (dpf) and identified six cell types with distinct gene-expression signatures. In-depth dissection of the gene-expression dynamics and RNA velocity revealed a coupled process of osteogenesis and angiogenesis during TLV and rib development. Further analysis of cell-type-specific and strand-specific expression uncovered the extremely high levels of HOXA10 3'-UTR sequence specific to osteoblast of LV cells, which may function as anti-HOXA10-antisense by counteracting the HOXA10-antisense effect to determine TLV transition. Thus, this work provides a valuable resource for understanding embryonic osteogenesis and angiogenesis underlying vertebrate TLV and RP development at the cell-type-specific resolution, which serves as a comprehensive view on the transcriptional profile of animal embryo development.



2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Halsall ◽  
Simon Andrews ◽  
Felix Krueger ◽  
Charlotte E. Rutledge ◽  
Gabriella Ficz ◽  
...  

AbstractChromatin configuration influences gene expression in eukaryotes at multiple levels, from individual nucleosomes to chromatin domains several Mb long. Post-translational modifications (PTM) of core histones seem to be involved in chromatin structural transitions, but how remains unclear. To explore this, we used ChIP-seq and two cell types, HeLa and lymphoblastoid (LCL), to define how changes in chromatin packaging through the cell cycle influence the distributions of three transcription-associated histone modifications, H3K9ac, H3K4me3 and H3K27me3. We show that chromosome regions (bands) of 10–50 Mb, detectable by immunofluorescence microscopy of metaphase (M) chromosomes, are also present in G1 and G2. They comprise 1–5 Mb sub-bands that differ between HeLa and LCL but remain consistent through the cell cycle. The same sub-bands are defined by H3K9ac and H3K4me3, while H3K27me3 spreads more widely. We found little change between cell cycle phases, whether compared by 5 Kb rolling windows or when analysis was restricted to functional elements such as transcription start sites and topologically associating domains. Only a small number of genes showed cell-cycle related changes: at genes encoding proteins involved in mitosis, H3K9 became highly acetylated in G2M, possibly because of ongoing transcription. In conclusion, modified histone isoforms H3K9ac, H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 exhibit a characteristic genomic distribution at resolutions of 1 Mb and below that differs between HeLa and lymphoblastoid cells but remains remarkably consistent through the cell cycle. We suggest that this cell-type-specific chromosomal bar-code is part of a homeostatic mechanism by which cells retain their characteristic gene expression patterns, and hence their identity, through multiple mitoses.



2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5793
Author(s):  
Brianna M. Quinville ◽  
Natalie M. Deschenes ◽  
Alex E. Ryckman ◽  
Jagdeep S. Walia

Sphingolipids are a specialized group of lipids essential to the composition of the plasma membrane of many cell types; however, they are primarily localized within the nervous system. The amphipathic properties of sphingolipids enable their participation in a variety of intricate metabolic pathways. Sphingoid bases are the building blocks for all sphingolipid derivatives, comprising a complex class of lipids. The biosynthesis and catabolism of these lipids play an integral role in small- and large-scale body functions, including participation in membrane domains and signalling; cell proliferation, death, migration, and invasiveness; inflammation; and central nervous system development. Recently, sphingolipids have become the focus of several fields of research in the medical and biological sciences, as these bioactive lipids have been identified as potent signalling and messenger molecules. Sphingolipids are now being exploited as therapeutic targets for several pathologies. Here we present a comprehensive review of the structure and metabolism of sphingolipids and their many functional roles within the cell. In addition, we highlight the role of sphingolipids in several pathologies, including inflammatory disease, cystic fibrosis, cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and lysosomal storage disorders.



eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinisa Hrvatin ◽  
Christopher P Tzeng ◽  
M Aurel Nagy ◽  
Hume Stroud ◽  
Charalampia Koutsioumpa ◽  
...  

Enhancers are the primary DNA regulatory elements that confer cell type specificity of gene expression. Recent studies characterizing individual enhancers have revealed their potential to direct heterologous gene expression in a highly cell-type-specific manner. However, it has not yet been possible to systematically identify and test the function of enhancers for each of the many cell types in an organism. We have developed PESCA, a scalable and generalizable method that leverages ATAC- and single-cell RNA-sequencing protocols, to characterize cell-type-specific enhancers that should enable genetic access and perturbation of gene function across mammalian cell types. Focusing on the highly heterogeneous mammalian cerebral cortex, we apply PESCA to find enhancers and generate viral reagents capable of accessing and manipulating a subset of somatostatin-expressing cortical interneurons with high specificity. This study demonstrates the utility of this platform for developing new cell-type-specific viral reagents, with significant implications for both basic and translational research.



2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devanshi Patel ◽  
Xiaoling Zhang ◽  
John J. Farrell ◽  
Jaeyoon Chung ◽  
Thor D. Stein ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBecause regulation of gene expression is heritable and context-dependent, we investigated AD-related gene expression patterns in cell-types in blood and brain. Cis-expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping was performed genome-wide in blood from 5,257 Framingham Heart Study (FHS) participants and in brain donated by 475 Religious Orders Study/Memory & Aging Project (ROSMAP) participants. The association of gene expression with genotypes for all cis SNPs within 1Mb of genes was evaluated using linear regression models for unrelated subjects and linear mixed models for related subjects. Cell type-specific eQTL (ct-eQTL) models included an interaction term for expression of “proxy” genes that discriminate particular cell type. Ct-eQTL analysis identified 11,649 and 2,533 additional significant gene-SNP eQTL pairs in brain and blood, respectively, that were not detected in generic eQTL analysis. Of note, 386 unique target eGenes of significant eQTLs shared between blood and brain were enriched in apoptosis and Wnt signaling pathways. Five of these shared genes are established AD loci. The potential importance and relevance to AD of significant results in myeloid cell-types is supported by the observation that a large portion of GWS ct-eQTLs map within 1Mb of established AD loci and 58% (23/40) of the most significant eGenes in these eQTLs have previously been implicated in AD. This study identified cell-type specific expression patterns for established and potentially novel AD genes, found additional evidence for the role of myeloid cells in AD risk, and discovered potential novel blood and brain AD biomarkers that highlight the importance of cell-type specific analysis.



Development ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 128 (5) ◽  
pp. 711-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.E. Rusten ◽  
R. Cantera ◽  
J. Urban ◽  
G. Technau ◽  
F.C. Kafatos ◽  
...  

Genes of the spalt family encode nuclear zinc finger proteins. In Drosophila melanogaster, they are necessary for the establishment of head/trunk identity, correct tracheal migration and patterning of the wing imaginal disc. Spalt proteins display a predominant pattern of expression in the nervous system, not only in Drosophila but also in species of fish, mouse, frog and human, suggesting an evolutionarily conserved role for these proteins in nervous system development. Here we show that Spalt works as a cell fate switch between two EGFR-induced cell types, the oenocytes and the precursors of the pentascolopodial organ in the embryonic peripheral nervous system. We show that removal of spalt increases the number of scolopodia, as a result of extra secondary recruitment of precursor cells at the expense of the oenocytes. In addition, the absence of spalt causes defects in the normal migration of the pentascolopodial organ. The dual function of spalt in the development of this organ, recruitment of precursors and migration, is reminiscent of its role in tracheal formation and of the role of a spalt homologue, sem-4, in the Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system.



2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana J. Chucair-Elliott ◽  
Sarah R. Ocañas ◽  
David R. Stanford ◽  
Victor A. Ansere ◽  
Kyla B. Buettner ◽  
...  

AbstractEpigenetic regulation of gene expression occurs in a cell type-specific manner. Current cell-type specific neuroepigenetic studies rely on cell sorting methods that can alter cell phenotype and introduce potential confounds. Here we demonstrate and validate a Nuclear Tagging and Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification (NuTRAP) approach for temporally controlled labeling and isolation of ribosomes and nuclei, and thus RNA and DNA, from specific central nervous system cell types. Analysis of gene expression and DNA modifications in astrocytes or microglia from the same animal demonstrates differential usage of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation in CpG and non-CpG contexts that corresponds to cell type-specific gene expression. Application of this approach in LPS treated mice uncovers microglia-specific transcriptome and epigenome changes in inflammatory pathways that cannot be detected with tissue-level analysis. The NuTRAP model and the validation approaches presented can be applied to any brain cell type for which a cell type-specific cre is available.





2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Grubman ◽  
Gabriel Chew ◽  
John F. Ouyang ◽  
Guizhi Sun ◽  
Xin Yi Choo ◽  
...  

AbstractAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a heterogeneous disease that is largely dependent on the complex cellular microenvironment in the brain. This complexity impedes our understanding of how individual cell types contribute to disease progression and outcome. To characterize the molecular and functional cell diversity in the human AD brain we utilized single nuclei RNA- seq in AD and control patient brains in order to map the landscape of cellular heterogeneity in AD. We detail gene expression changes at the level of cells and cell subclusters, highlighting specific cellular contributions to global gene expression patterns between control and Alzheimer’s patient brains. We observed distinct cellular regulation of APOE which was repressed in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and astrocyte AD subclusters, and highly enriched in a microglial AD subcluster. In addition, oligodendrocyte and microglia AD subclusters show discordant expression of APOE. Integration of transcription factor regulatory modules with downstream GWAS gene targets revealed subcluster-specific control of AD cell fate transitions. For example, this analysis uncovered that astrocyte diversity in AD was under the control of transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of lysosomal function and which initiated a regulatory cascade containing multiple AD GWAS genes. These results establish functional links between specific cellular sub-populations in AD, and provide new insights into the coordinated control of AD GWAS genes and their cell-type specific contribution to disease susceptibility. Finally, we created an interactive reference web resource which will facilitate brain and AD researchers to explore the molecular architecture of subtype and AD-specific cell identity, molecular and functional diversity at the single cell level.HighlightsWe generated the first human single cell transcriptome in AD patient brainsOur study unveiled 9 clusters of cell-type specific and common gene expression patterns between control and AD brains, including clusters of genes that present properties of different cell types (i.e. astrocytes and oligodendrocytes)Our analyses also uncovered functionally specialized sub-cellular clusters: 5 microglial clusters, 8 astrocyte clusters, 6 neuronal clusters, 6 oligodendrocyte clusters, 4 OPC and 2 endothelial clusters, each enriched for specific ontological gene categoriesOur analyses found manifold AD GWAS genes specifically associated with one cell-type, and sets of AD GWAS genes co-ordinately and differentially regulated between different brain cell-types in AD sub-cellular clustersWe mapped the regulatory landscape driving transcriptional changes in AD brain, and identified transcription factor networks which we predict to control cell fate transitions between control and AD sub-cellular clustersFinally, we provide an interactive web-resource that allows the user to further visualise and interrogate our dataset.Data resource web interface:http://adsn.ddnetbio.com



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Mark Raus ◽  
Tyson D Fuller ◽  
Nellie E Nelson ◽  
David A Valientes ◽  
Anita Bayat ◽  
...  

Aerobic exercise promotes physiological and molecular adaptations in neurons to influence brain function and behavior. The most well studied neurobiological consequences of exercise are those which underlie exercise-induced improvements in hippocampal memory, including the expression and regulation of the neurotrophic factor Bdnf. Whether aerobic exercise taking place during early-life periods of postnatal brain maturation has similar impacts on gene expression and its regulation remains to be investigated. Using unbiased next-generation sequencing we characterize gene expression programs and their regulation by specific, memory-associated histone modifications during juvenile-adolescent voluntary exercise (ELE). Traditional transcriptomic and epigenomic sequencing approaches have either used heterogeneous cell populations from whole tissue homogenates or flow cytometry for single cell isolation to distinguish cell types / subtypes. These methods fall short in providing cell-type specificity without compromising sequencing depth or procedure-induced changes to cellular phenotype. In this study, we use simultaneous isolation of translating mRNA and nuclear chromatin from a neuron-enriched cell population to more accurately pair ELE-induced changes in gene expression with epigenetic modifications. We employ a line of transgenic mice expressing the NuTRAP (Nuclear Tagging and Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification) cassette under the Emx1 promoter allowing for brain cell-type specificity. We then developed a technique that combines nuclear isolation using Isolation of Nuclei TAgged in Specific Cell Types (INTACT) with Translating Ribosomal Affinity Purification (TRAP) methods to determine cell type-specific epigenetic modifications influencing gene expression programs from a population of Emx1 expressing hippocampal neurons. Data from RNA-seq and CUT&RUN-seq were coupled to evaluate histone modifications influencing the expression of translating mRNA in neurons after early-life exercise (ELE). We also performed separate INTACT and TRAP isolations for validation of our protocol and demonstrate similar molecular functions and biological processes implicated by gene ontology (GO) analysis. Finally, as prior studies use tissue from opposite brain hemispheres to pair transcriptomic and epigenomic data from the same rodent, we take a bioinformatics approach to compare hemispheric differences in gene expression programs and histone modifications altered by by ELE. Our data reveal transcriptional and epigenetic signatures of ELE exposure and identify novel candidate gene-histone modification interactions for further investigation. Importantly, our novel approach of combined INTACT/TRAP methods from the same cell suspension allows for simultaneous transcriptomic and epigenomic sequencing in a cell-type specific manner.



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