Project description:Single-cell mRNA sequencing was overlaid with single-cell ATAC sequencing of the mouse E9.5 cranial region for both wildtype and miR-302 knockout embryos, an established example of a neural tube closure defect. The goals of this study were to compare changes in gene expression and chromatin accessibility upon loss of a stem cell miRNA and neural tube closure defect.
Project description:Maternal diabetes is a teratogen that can lead to neural tube closure defects in the offspring. We therefore sought to compare gene expression profiles at the site of neural tube closure between stage-matched embryos from normal dams, and embryos from diabetic dams. Neurulation-stage mouse embryos at 8.5 days of gestation were used to prepare neural tissue at the anterior aspect of neural tube closure site 1. Tissue was procured from the open neural tube immediately anterior of the closure site, and from the closed neural tube immediately posterior to the closure site by laser microdissection. For each sample, 10 sections were pooled, total RNA was extracted, and 7 ng of total RNA were used for expression profiling by Tag sequencing using an Applied Biosystems SolidSAGE kit for library construction, and an AB SOLiD 5500 XL instrument for sequencing. Sequence reads were mapped to RefSeq RNA, and count data per gene were obtained using a modified version of the Applied Biosystems SOLiDâ?¢ SAGEâ?¢ Analysis Software. diabetic dam - closed neural tube // diabetic dam - open neural tube // normal dam - closed neural tube // normal dam - open neural tube
Project description:single-cell sequencing of the mouse cranial region at E8.25 (the start of neural tube closure, at E9.5 (the end of neural tube closure, and of a miR-302 knockout embryo at E9.5 (example of neural tube closure defrect).
Project description:Maternal diabetes is a teratogen that can lead to neural tube closure defects in the offspring. We therefore sought to compare gene expression profiles at the site of neural tube closure between stage-matched embryos from normal dams, and embryos from diabetic dams. Neurulation-stage mouse embryos at 8.5 days of gestation were used to prepare neural tissue at the anterior aspect of neural tube closure site 1. Tissue was procured from the open neural tube immediately anterior of the closure site, and from the closed neural tube immediately posterior to the closure site by laser microdissection. For each sample, 10 sections were pooled, total RNA was extracted, and 7 ng of total RNA were used for expression profiling by Tag sequencing using an Applied Biosystems SolidSAGE kit for library construction, and an AB SOLiD 5500 XL instrument for sequencing. Sequence reads were mapped to RefSeq RNA, and count data per gene were obtained using a modified version of the Applied Biosystems SOLiD™ SAGE™ Analysis Software.
Project description:The process of neural tube closure is a highly complex morphogenetic event that results in the generation of the primordial central nervous system. During formation of the neural tube, the non-neural ectoderm separates from the neighboring neural ectoderm and forms a single layer epithelial sheet that overlies the closed neural tube. Previous work has shown that the non-neural ectoderm is necessary for proper cranial neural tube closure, however little is known about this cell population at the molecular level or how the non-neural ectoderm contributes to neural tube closure. In this study, we used a mouse genetic system to fluorescently label the non-neural ectoderm cells and FACS sorted these cells away from the other cell populations in the neural tube. We performed high throughput RNA-sequencing to identify the transcriptome of the non-neural ectoderm and compared the gene expression profile of non-neural ectoderm cells to the remaining population of cells within the neural tube in order to identify which genes are enriched within the non-neural ectoderm. This analysis provides a clue as to which underlying molecular processes may be important for non-neural ectoderm function during neural tube closure.
Project description:This data series was used for two separate studies. The initial study was aimed to idenify expression changes brought about by the Cecr2Gt45Bic mutation during neural closure. The study included two different strains, BALB/cCrl in which Cecr2GT45Bic shows a neural tube defect phenotype and FVB/N in which Cecr2Gt45Bic does not manifest neural closure defects. The second was to idenify strain specific expression differences present during neural closure of the mouse embryo between BALB/cCrl and FVB/N in order to identify candidate modifiers of the Cecr2Gt45Bic neural tube defect. Relevant abstracts are included below. The initial study ; BACKGROUND: Over 200 mouse genes are associated with neural tube defects (NTDs), including Cecr2, the bromodomain-containing subunit of the CERF chromatin remodeling complex. METHODS: Gene-trap mutation Cecr2Gt45Bic results in 74% exencephaly (equivalent of human anencephaly) on the BALB/c strain. Gene expression altered during cranial neural tube closure by the Cecr2 mutation was identified through microarray analysis of 11M-bM-^@M-^S14 somites stage Cecr2Gt45Bicembryos. RESULTS: Analysis of Affymetrix Mouse 430 2.0 chips detected 60 transcripts up-regulated and 54 transcripts down-regulated in the Cecr2Gt45Bic embryos (fold > 1.5, p < 0.05). The Cecr2 transcript was reduced only M-bM-^HM-<7- to 14-fold from normal levels, suggesting the Cecr2Gt45Bic is a hypomorphic mutation. We therefore generated a novel Cecr2 null allele (Cecr2tm1.1Hemc). Resulting mutants displayed a stronger penetrance of exencephaly than Cecr2Gt45Bic in both BALB/c and FVB/N strains, in addition to midline facial clefts and forebrain encephalocele in the FVB/N strain. The Cecr2 transcript is reduced 260-fold in the Cecr2tm1.1Hemc line. Subsequent qRT-PCR using Cecr2tm1.1Hemc mutant heads confirmed downregulation of transcription factors Alx1/Cart1,Dlx5, Eya1, and Six1. CONCLUSIONS: As both Alx1/Cart1 and Dlx5 mouse mutations result in exencephaly, we hypothesize that changes in expression of these mesenchymal/ectodermal transcription factors may contribute to NTDs associated with Cecr2. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2010. 010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. The second study: ABSTRACT:Although neural tube defects (NTDs) are common in humans, little is known about their multifactorial genetic causes. While most mouse models involve NTDs caused by a single mutated gene, we have previously described a multigenic system involving susceptibility to NTDs. In mice with a mutation in Cecr2, the cranial NTD exencephaly shows strain specific differences in penetrance, with 74% penetrance in BALB/cCrl and 0% penetrance in FVB/N. Whole genome linkage analysis showed that a region of chromosome 19 was partially responsible for this difference in penetrance. We now reveal by genetic analysis of three subinterval congenic lines that the chromosome 19 region contains more than one modifier gene. Analysis of embryos showed that although a Cecr2 mutation causes wider neural tubes in both strains, FVB/N embryos overcome this abnormality and close. A microarray analysis comparing neurulating female embryos from both strains identified differentially expressed genes within the chromosome 19 region, including Arhgap19, which is expressed at a lower level in BALB/cCrl due to a stop codon specific to that substrain. Modifier genes in this region are of particular interest because it is syntenic to human chromosome 10q25, the site of a human susceptibility locus. (MANUSCRIPT PENDING SUBMISSION) Thieler STAGE 13-14 (11-14 somite) female embryos where disected away from extraembryonic membranes for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. A single embryo was processed per array, with four biological replicates per genotype BALB/cCrl, Cecr2GT45Bic BALB/cCrl, FVB/N, and Cecr2Gt45Bic FVB/N.
Project description:During primary neurulation, the separation of a single-layered ectodermal sheet into the surface ectoderm (SE) and neural tube specifies SE and neural ectoderm (NE) cell fates. The mechanisms underlying fate specification in conjunction with neural tube closure are poorly understood. Here, by comparing expression profiles between SE and NE lineages, we observed that uncommitted progenitor cells, expressing stem cell markers, are present in the neural plate border/neural fold prior to neural tube closure.
Project description:During primary neurulation, the separation of a single-layered ectodermal sheet into the surface ectoderm (SE) and neural tube specifies SE and neural ectoderm (NE) cell fates. The mechanisms underlying fate specification in conjunction with neural tube closure are poorly understood. Here, by comparing expression profiles between SE and NE lineages, we observed that uncommitted progenitor cells, expressing stem cell markers, are present in the neural plate border/neural fold prior to neural tube closure. To identify what type of signaling pathways and transcriptional factors are involved in the fate specification between SE and NE cells during neurulation.
Project description:This data series was used for two separate studies. The initial study was aimed to idenify expression changes brought about by the Cecr2Gt45Bic mutation during neural closure. The study included two different strains, BALB/cCrl in which Cecr2GT45Bic shows a neural tube defect phenotype and FVB/N in which Cecr2Gt45Bic does not manifest neural closure defects. The second was to idenify strain specific expression differences present during neural closure of the mouse embryo between BALB/cCrl and FVB/N in order to identify candidate modifiers of the Cecr2Gt45Bic neural tube defect. Relevant abstracts are included below. The initial study ; BACKGROUND: Over 200 mouse genes are associated with neural tube defects (NTDs), including Cecr2, the bromodomain-containing subunit of the CERF chromatin remodeling complex. METHODS: Gene-trap mutation Cecr2Gt45Bic results in 74% exencephaly (equivalent of human anencephaly) on the BALB/c strain. Gene expression altered during cranial neural tube closure by the Cecr2 mutation was identified through microarray analysis of 11–14 somites stage Cecr2Gt45Bicembryos. RESULTS: Analysis of Affymetrix Mouse 430 2.0 chips detected 60 transcripts up-regulated and 54 transcripts down-regulated in the Cecr2Gt45Bic embryos (fold > 1.5, p < 0.05). The Cecr2 transcript was reduced only ∼7- to 14-fold from normal levels, suggesting the Cecr2Gt45Bic is a hypomorphic mutation. We therefore generated a novel Cecr2 null allele (Cecr2tm1.1Hemc). Resulting mutants displayed a stronger penetrance of exencephaly than Cecr2Gt45Bic in both BALB/c and FVB/N strains, in addition to midline facial clefts and forebrain encephalocele in the FVB/N strain. The Cecr2 transcript is reduced 260-fold in the Cecr2tm1.1Hemc line. Subsequent qRT-PCR using Cecr2tm1.1Hemc mutant heads confirmed downregulation of transcription factors Alx1/Cart1,Dlx5, Eya1, and Six1. CONCLUSIONS: As both Alx1/Cart1 and Dlx5 mouse mutations result in exencephaly, we hypothesize that changes in expression of these mesenchymal/ectodermal transcription factors may contribute to NTDs associated with Cecr2. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2010. 010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. The second study: ABSTRACT:Although neural tube defects (NTDs) are common in humans, little is known about their multifactorial genetic causes. While most mouse models involve NTDs caused by a single mutated gene, we have previously described a multigenic system involving susceptibility to NTDs. In mice with a mutation in Cecr2, the cranial NTD exencephaly shows strain specific differences in penetrance, with 74% penetrance in BALB/cCrl and 0% penetrance in FVB/N. Whole genome linkage analysis showed that a region of chromosome 19 was partially responsible for this difference in penetrance. We now reveal by genetic analysis of three subinterval congenic lines that the chromosome 19 region contains more than one modifier gene. Analysis of embryos showed that although a Cecr2 mutation causes wider neural tubes in both strains, FVB/N embryos overcome this abnormality and close. A microarray analysis comparing neurulating female embryos from both strains identified differentially expressed genes within the chromosome 19 region, including Arhgap19, which is expressed at a lower level in BALB/cCrl due to a stop codon specific to that substrain. Modifier genes in this region are of particular interest because it is syntenic to human chromosome 10q25, the site of a human susceptibility locus. (MANUSCRIPT PENDING SUBMISSION)