Massively Parallel Single Nucleus Transcriptional Profiling Defines Spinal Cord Neurons and Their Activity during Behavior

Anupama Sathyamurthy; Kory R. Johnson; Kaya J.E. Matson; Courtney I. Dobrott; Li Li; Anna R. Ryba; Tzipporah B. Bergman; Michael C. Kelly; Matthew W. Kelley; Ariel J. Levine

doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2018.02.003

Cell Reports (Feb 2018)

Massively Parallel Single Nucleus Transcriptional Profiling Defines Spinal Cord Neurons and Their Activity during Behavior

Anupama Sathyamurthy,
Kory R. Johnson,
Kaya J.E. Matson,
Courtney I. Dobrott,
Li Li,
Anna R. Ryba,
Tzipporah B. Bergman,
Michael C. Kelly,
Matthew W. Kelley,
Ariel J. Levine

Affiliations

Anupama Sathyamurthy: Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Kory R. Johnson: Bioinformatics Section, Information Technology Program, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Kaya J.E. Matson: Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Courtney I. Dobrott: Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Li Li: Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Anna R. Ryba: Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Tzipporah B. Bergman: Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Michael C. Kelly: Laboratory of Cochlear Development, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Matthew W. Kelley: Laboratory of Cochlear Development, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Ariel J. Levine: Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Corresponding author

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2018.02.003
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 22, no. 8
pp. 2216 – 2225

Abstract

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Summary: To understand the cellular basis of behavior, it is necessary to know the cell types that exist in the nervous system and their contributions to function. Spinal networks are essential for sensory processing and motor behavior and provide a powerful system for identifying the cellular correlates of behavior. Here, we used massively parallel single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to create an atlas of the adult mouse lumbar spinal cord. We identified and molecularly characterized 43 neuronal populations. Next, we leveraged the snRNA-seq approach to provide unbiased identification of neuronal populations that were active following a sensory and a motor behavior, using a transcriptional signature of neuronal activity. This approach can be used in the future to link single nucleus gene expression data with dynamic biological responses to behavior, injury, and disease.

Published in Cell Reports

ISSN: 2211-1247 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: http://www.cell.com/cell-reports/home

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