Project description:Bulk RNA-seq using the smartSeq2 protocol in mouse Barrelette neurons, progenitors and ESCs at different developmental stages and in different genotypes.
Project description:Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in controlling various aspects of embryonic stem cell (ESC) biology, although the functions of specific lncRNAs, and the molecular mechanisms through which they act, remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate discrete and opposing roles for the lncRNA transcript Haunt and its genomic locus in regulating the HOXA gene cluster during ESC differentiation. Reducing or enhancing Haunt expression, with minimal disruption of the Haunt locus, led to up- or down-regulation of HOXA genes, respectively. In contrast, increasingly large genomic deletions within the Haunt locus attenuated HOXA activation. The Haunt DNA locus contains potential enhancers of HOXA activation, whereas Haunt RNA acts to prevent aberrant HOXA expression. This work reveals a multi-faceted model of lncRNA-mediated transcriptional regulation of the HOXA cluster, with distinct roles for a lncRNA transcript and its genomic locus, while illustrating the power of rapid CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing for assigning lncRNA functions. All RNA-seq(s) were designed to reveal the differentially expressed genes among different stages of ESCs differentiation, or differentially expressed genes between wild-type or Haunt or HOXA mutant cells during RA-induced differentiation. All ChIRP-Seq were used to reveal the DNA or RNA targets of Haunt before or after RA treatment.
Project description:Human limbs emerge during the fourth post-conception week as mesenchymal buds, which develop into fully formed limbs over the subsequent months. This process is orchestrated by numerous temporally and spatially restricted gene expression programmes, making congenital alterations in phenotype common. Decades of work with model organisms have defined the fundamental mechanisms underlying vertebrate limb development, but an in-depth characterization of this process in humans has yet to be performed. Here we detail human embryonic limb development across space and time using single-cell and spatial transcriptomics. We demonstrate extensive diversification of cells from a few multipotent progenitors to myriad differentiated cell states, including several novel cell populations. We uncover two waves of human muscle development, each characterized by different cell states regulated by separate gene expression programmes, and identify musculin (MSC) as a key transcriptional repressor maintaining muscle stem cell identity. Through assembly of multiple anatomically continuous spatial transcriptomic samples using VisiumStitcher, we map cells across a sagittal section of a whole fetal hindlimb. We reveal a clear anatomical segregation between genes linked to brachydactyly and polysyndactyly, and uncover transcriptionally and spatially distinct populations of the mesenchyme in the autopod. Finally, we perform single-cell RNA sequencing on mouse embryonic limbs to facilitate cross-species developmental comparison, finding substantial homology between the two species.
Project description:In order to test Norway spruce radiosensitivity to gamma radiation, 6 days old seedlings were exposed for 48 h to 60-Co source at dose rates 1, 10, 40 or 100 mGy/h.
Project description:Accessing endometrial tissue during the early phases of the menstrual cycle is challenging. With this experiment we are capturing the dynamic epithelial cell states after breakdown using endometrial organoids (EOs) subjected to the in vitro menstrual cycle (IVMC) protocol. EOs are collected for scRNAseq analysis before breakdown (Hormonal Withdrawal 48h), 12h after breakdown (Post-breakdown 12h), 24h after breakdown (Post-breakdown 24h), 48h after breakdown (Post-breakdown 48h) as well as 24h (E2 differentiation 24h) and 48h after estrogen treatment (E2 differentiation 48h).
Project description:The interaction of lung epithelial and lung mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts) was investigated in a novel co-culture model of human pulmonary fibrosis. Remarkably, co-culturing both cell types induced cell-type-specific responses, including fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which were fully dependent on direct epithelial / fibroblast contact. Primary normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLF) and normal human bronchiolar epithelial cells (NHBE) were fluorescently labelled prior to seeding, then grown either as mono or co-cultures and collected in triplicates for mRNA-seq at the start (T=0h) and after 3h and 18h. Each harvested cell culture was FACS sorted into individual NHLF and NHBE cell populations, which were then then lysed and sequenced.
Project description:Genome-wide measurements of histone modifications and transcription factor binding in mouse barelette progenitors, neurons and ESCs at different developmental stages and in different genotypes.
Project description:AID promotes chromosomal translocations by inducing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) at immunoglobulin (Ig) genes and oncogenes in G1. RPA is a ssDNA-binding protein that associates with resected DSBs in the S phase and facilitates the assembly of factors involved in homologous repair (HR) such as Rad51. Notably, RPA deposition also marks sites of AID-mediated damage, but its role in Ig gene recombination remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that RPA associates asymmetrically with resected ssDNA in response to lesions created by AID, RAG, or other nucleases. Small amounts of RPA are deposited at AID targets in G1 in an ATM-dependent manner. In contrast, recruitment in S-G2/M is extensive, ATM-independent, and associated with Rad51 accumulation. RPA in S-G2/M increases in NHEJ-deficient lymphocytes, where there is more extensive DNA-end resection. Thus, most RPA recruitment during CSR represents salvage of un-repaired breaks by homology-based pathways during the S-G2/M phases of the cell cycle. Chip-Seq of RPA from mouse activated B cells (n = 40), mouse thymocytes (n = 6), and MEFs (n = 1). Different genotypes and/or inhibitors were used.
Project description:Post-transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes requires cis- and trans-acting features and factors including RNA secondary structure, and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). However, a comprehensive view of the structural and RBP interaction landscape of RNAs in the nucleus has yet to be compiled for any organism. Here, we use our ribonuclease-mediated structure and RBP binding site mapping approach on Arabidopsis seedling nuclei in vivo to globally profile these features within the nuclear compartment. We reveal opposing patterns of secondary structure and RBP binding levels throughout native messenger RNAs that demarcate alternative splicing and polyadenylation. We also uncover a collection of protein bound sequence motifs, and identify their structural contexts, co-occurrences in transcripts encoding functionally related proteins, and interactions with putative RBPs. Finally, we identify a nuclear role for the chloroplast RBP, CP29A. In total, we provide the first simultaneous view of the RNA secondary structure and RBP interaction landscapes in a eukaryotic nucleus. Protein interaction profile sequencing (PIP-seq) in Arabidopsis seedling nuclei. These are crosslinked with formaldehyde and treated with two RNases (ssRNase and dsRNase) with two replicates