Transcriptional synergy as an emergent property defining cell subpopulation identity enables population shift.

ABSTRACT: Single-cell RNA sequencing allows defining molecularly distinct cell subpopulations. However, the identification of specific sets of transcription factors (TFs) that define the identity of these subpopulations remains a challenge. Here we propose that subpopulation identity emerges from the synergistic activity of multiple TFs. Based on this concept, we develop a computational platform (TransSyn) for identifying synergistic transcriptional cores that determine cell subpopulation identities. TransSyn leverages single-cell RNA-seq data, and performs a dynamic search for an optimal synergistic transcriptional core using an information theoretic measure of synergy. A large-scale TransSyn analysis identifies transcriptional cores for 186 subpopulations, and predicts identity conversion TFs betw

SUBMITTER: Okawa S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6030214 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature