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Gigante ED, Piekarz KM, Gurgis A, Cohen L, Razy-Krajka F, Popsuj S, Johnson CJ, Ali HS, Mohana Sundaram S, Stolfi A. Specification and survival of post-metamorphic branchiomeric neurons in a non-vertebrate chordate. Development 2024; 151:dev202719. [PMID: 38895900 PMCID: PMC11273300 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Tunicates are the sister group to the vertebrates, yet most species have a life cycle split between swimming larva and sedentary adult phases. During metamorphosis, larval neurons are replaced by adult-specific ones. The regulatory mechanisms underlying this replacement remain largely unknown. Using tissue-specific CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis in the tunicate Ciona, we show that orthologs of conserved hindbrain and branchiomeric neuron regulatory factors Pax2/5/8 and Phox2 are required to specify the 'neck', a cellular compartment set aside in the larva to give rise to cranial motor neuron-like neurons post-metamorphosis. Using bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing analyses, we characterize the transcriptome of the neck downstream of Pax2/5/8. We present evidence that neck-derived adult ciliomotor neurons begin to differentiate in the larva and persist through metamorphosis, contrary to the assumption that the adult nervous system is formed after settlement and the death of larval neurons during metamorphosis. Finally, we show that FGF signaling during the larval phase alters the patterning of the neck and its derivatives. Suppression of FGF converts neck cells into larval neurons that fail to survive metamorphosis, whereas prolonged FGF signaling promotes an adult neural stem cell-like fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo D. Gigante
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Katarzyna M. Piekarz
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Alexandra Gurgis
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Leslie Cohen
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Florian Razy-Krajka
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Sydney Popsuj
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Christopher J. Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Hussan S. Ali
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Shruthi Mohana Sundaram
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Alberto Stolfi
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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2
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Shaw T, Barr FG, Üren A. The PAX Genes: Roles in Development, Cancer, and Other Diseases. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1022. [PMID: 38473380 PMCID: PMC10931086 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16051022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Since their 1986 discovery in Drosophila, Paired box (PAX) genes have been shown to play major roles in the early development of the eye, muscle, skeleton, kidney, and other organs. Consistent with their roles as master regulators of tissue formation, the PAX family members are evolutionarily conserved, regulate large transcriptional networks, and in turn can be regulated by a variety of mechanisms. Losses or mutations in these genes can result in developmental disorders or cancers. The precise mechanisms by which PAX genes control disease pathogenesis are well understood in some cases, but much remains to be explored. A deeper understanding of the biology of these genes, therefore, has the potential to aid in the improvement of disease diagnosis and the development of new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taryn Shaw
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | - Frederic G Barr
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Aykut Üren
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20001, USA
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3
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Gigante ED, Piekarz KM, Gurgis A, Cohen L, Razy-Krajka F, Popsuj S, Ali HS, Sundaram SM, Stolfi A. Specification and survival of post-metamorphic branchiomeric neurons in the hindbrain of a non-vertebrate chordate. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.16.545305. [PMID: 37645866 PMCID: PMC10461979 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.16.545305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Tunicates are the sister group to the vertebrates, yet most species have a life cycle split between swimming larva and sedentary adult phases. During metamorphosis, larval neurons are largely replaced by adult-specific ones. Yet the regulatory mechanisms underlying this neural replacement remain largely unknown. Using tissue-specific CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis in the tunicate Ciona, we show that orthologs of conserved hindbrain and branchiomeric neuron regulatory factors Pax2/5/8 and Phox2 are required to specify the "Neck", a compartment of cells set aside in the larva to give rise to cranial motor neuron-like neurons in the adult. Using bulk and single-cell RNAseq analyses, we also characterize the transcriptome of the Neck downstream of Pax2/5/8. Surprisingly, we find that Neck-derived adult ciliomotor neurons begin to differentiate in the larva, contrary to the long-held assumption that the adult nervous system is formed only after settlement and the death of larval neurons during metamorphosis. Finally, we show that manipulating FGF signaling during the larval phase alters the patterning of the Neck and its derivatives. Suppression of FGF converts Neck cells into larval neurons that fail to survive metamorphosis, while prolonged FGF signaling promotes an adult neural stem cell-like fate instead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo D Gigante
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332; USA
| | - Katarzyna M Piekarz
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332; USA
| | - Alexandra Gurgis
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332; USA
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106; USA
| | - Leslie Cohen
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332; USA
| | - Florian Razy-Krajka
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332; USA
| | - Sydney Popsuj
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332; USA
| | - Hussan S Ali
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332; USA
| | | | - Alberto Stolfi
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332; USA
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4
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Thompson B, Davidson EA, Liu W, Nebert DW, Bruford EA, Zhao H, Dermitzakis ET, Thompson DC, Vasiliou V. Overview of PAX gene family: analysis of human tissue-specific variant expression and involvement in human disease. Hum Genet 2021; 140:381-400. [PMID: 32728807 PMCID: PMC7939107 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-020-02212-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Paired-box (PAX) genes encode a family of highly conserved transcription factors found in vertebrates and invertebrates. PAX proteins are defined by the presence of a paired domain that is evolutionarily conserved across phylogenies. Inclusion of a homeodomain and/or an octapeptide linker subdivides PAX proteins into four groups. Often termed "master regulators", PAX proteins orchestrate tissue and organ development throughout cell differentiation and lineage determination, and are essential for tissue structure and function through maintenance of cell identity. Mutations in PAX genes are associated with myriad human diseases (e.g., microphthalmia, anophthalmia, coloboma, hypothyroidism, acute lymphoblastic leukemia). Transcriptional regulation by PAX proteins is, in part, modulated by expression of alternatively spliced transcripts. Herein, we provide a genomics update on the nine human PAX family members and PAX homologs in 16 additional species. We also present a comprehensive summary of human tissue-specific PAX transcript variant expression and describe potential functional significance of PAX isoforms. While the functional roles of PAX proteins in developmental diseases and cancer are well characterized, much remains to be understood regarding the functional roles of PAX isoforms in human health. We anticipate the analysis of tissue-specific PAX transcript variant expression presented herein can serve as a starting point for such research endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Thompson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Emily A Davidson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Wei Liu
- Program of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Daniel W Nebert
- Department of Environmental Health and Center for Environmental Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Research Center, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Molecular and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Research Center, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - Elspeth A Bruford
- HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
- Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Hongyu Zhao
- Program of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Emmanouil T Dermitzakis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David C Thompson
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Vasilis Vasiliou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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Castro VL, Reyes JF, Reyes-Nava NG, Paz D, Quintana AM. Hcfc1a regulates neural precursor proliferation and asxl1 expression in the developing brain. BMC Neurosci 2020; 21:27. [PMID: 32522152 PMCID: PMC7288482 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-020-00577-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Precise regulation of neural precursor cell (NPC) proliferation and differentiation is essential to ensure proper brain development and function. The HCFC1 gene encodes a transcriptional co-factor that regulates cell proliferation, and previous studies suggest that HCFC1 regulates NPC number and differentiation. However, the molecular mechanism underlying these cellular deficits has not been completely characterized. Methods Here we created a zebrafish harboring mutations in the hcfc1a gene (the hcfc1aco60/+ allele), one ortholog of HCFC1, and utilized immunohistochemistry and RNA-sequencing technology to understand the function of hcfc1a during neural development. Results The hcfc1aco60/+ allele results in an increased number of NPCs and increased expression of neuronal and glial markers. These neural developmental deficits are associated with larval hypomotility and the abnormal expression of asxl1, a polycomb transcription factor, which we identified as a downstream effector of hcfc1a. Inhibition of asxl1 activity and/or expression in larvae harboring the hcfc1aco60/+ allele completely restored the number of NPCs to normal levels. Conclusion Collectively, our data demonstrate that hcfc1a regulates NPC number, NPC proliferation, motor behavior, and brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria L Castro
- Department of Biological Sciences and Border Biomedical Research Center, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Joel F Reyes
- Department of Biological Sciences and Border Biomedical Research Center, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Nayeli G Reyes-Nava
- Department of Biological Sciences and Border Biomedical Research Center, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - David Paz
- Department of Biological Sciences and Border Biomedical Research Center, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Anita M Quintana
- Department of Biological Sciences and Border Biomedical Research Center, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA.
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Study of pallial neurogenesis in shark embryos and the evolutionary origin of the subventricular zone. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:3593-3612. [PMID: 29980930 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1705-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The dorsal part of the developing telencephalon is one of the brain areas that has suffered most drastic changes throughout vertebrate evolution. Its evolutionary increase in complexity was thought to be partly achieved by the appearance of a new neurogenic niche in the embryonic subventricular zone (SVZ). Here, a new kind of amplifying progenitors (basal progenitors) expressing Tbr2, undergo a second round of divisions, which is believed to have contributed to the expansion of the neocortex. Accordingly, the existence of a pallial SVZ has been classically considered exclusive of mammals. However, the lack of studies in ancient vertebrates precludes any clear conclusion about the evolutionary origin of the SVZ and the neurogenic mechanisms that rule pallial development. In this work, we explore pallial neurogenesis in a basal vertebrate, the shark Scyliorhinus canicula, through the study of the expression patterns of several neurogenic markers. We found that apical progenitors and radial migration are present in sharks, and therefore, their presence must be highly conserved throughout evolution. Surprisingly, we detected a subventricular band of ScTbr2-expressing cells, some of which also expressed mitotic markers, indicating that the existence of basal progenitors should be considered an ancestral condition rather than a novelty of mammals or amniotes. Finally, we report that the transcriptional program for the specification of glutamatergic pallial cells (Pax6, Tbr2, NeuroD, Tbr1) is also present in sharks. However, the segregation of these markers into different cell types is not clear yet, which may be linked to the lack of layering in anamniotes.
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7
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SoxC transcription factors: multifunctional regulators of neurodevelopment. Cell Tissue Res 2017; 371:91-103. [PMID: 29079881 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2708-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
During development, generation of neurons is coordinated by the sequential activation of gene expression programs by stage- and subtype-specific transcription factor networks. The SoxC group transcription factors, Sox4 and Sox11, have recently emerged as critical components of this network. Initially identified as survival and differentiation factors for neural precursors, SoxC factors have now been linked to a broader array of developmental processes including neuronal subtype specification, migration, dendritogenesis and establishment of neuronal projections, and are now being employed in experimental strategies for neuronal replacement and axonal regeneration in the diseased central nervous system. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding SoxC factor function in CNS development and disease and their promise for regeneration.
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Tan B, Wang J, Song Q, Wang N, Jia Y, Wang C, Yao B, Liu Z, Zhang X, Cheng Y. Prognostic value of PAX9 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and its prediction value to radiation sensitivity. Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:806-816. [PMID: 28560390 PMCID: PMC5482201 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.6626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal paired box 9 (PAX9) expression is associated with tumorigenesis, cancer development, invasion and metastasis. The present study investigated the prognostic significance of PAX9 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its role in predicting radiation sensitivity. A total of 52.8% (121/229) ESCC tissues were positive for PAX9. The 1-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 72.2, 35.2 and 5.6%, respectively, and the overall survival (OS) rates were and 86.1, 44.4, and 23.1%, respectively, in PAX9-positive tumors. In PAX9-negative tumors, the one-, three- and five-year DFS rates were 76.9, 47.9 and 24.0%, and the OS rates were 90.9, 57.9 and 38.8%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that PAX9, differentiation, T stage, lymph node metastasis, and tumor-node-metastasis stage were associated with OS. Multivariate analysis of DFS and OS revealed that the hazard ratios for PAX9 were 0.624 (95% CI: 0.472–0.869, P=0.004) and 0.673 (95% CI: 0.491–0.922, P=0.014), respectively. Patients that received adjuvant therapy exhibited significant differences in the 5-year DFS (P<0.001) and OS (P<0.001). PAX9-positive ESCC patients who received post-surgery radiotherapy had a significantly greater 5-year DFS (P=0.011) and OS (P=0.009) than patients who received surgery only. Thus, PAX9 may be an independent prognostic factor for the surgical treatment of ESCC and a possible predictor of radiation sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingxu Tan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Jianbo Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Qingxu Song
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Nana Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Yibin Jia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Cong Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Bin Yao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Zhulong Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Xiaomei Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Yufeng Cheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
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Sivakamasundari V, Kraus P, Sun W, Hu X, Lim SL, Prabhakar S, Lufkin T. A developmental transcriptomic analysis of Pax1 and Pax9 in embryonic intervertebral disc development. Biol Open 2017; 6:187-199. [PMID: 28011632 PMCID: PMC5312110 DOI: 10.1242/bio.023218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Pax1 and Pax9 play redundant, synergistic functions in the patterning and differentiation of the sclerotomal cells that give rise to the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs (IVD) of the axial skeleton. They are conserved in mice and humans, whereby mutation/deficiency of human PAX1/PAX9 has been associated with kyphoscoliosis. By combining cell-type-specific transcriptome and ChIP-sequencing data, we identified the roles of Pax1/Pax9 in cell proliferation, cartilage development and collagen fibrillogenesis, which are vital in early IVD morphogenesis. Pax1 is up-regulated in the absence of Pax9, while Pax9 is unaffected by the loss of Pax1/Pax9 We identified the targets compensated by a single- or double-copy of Pax9 They positively regulate many of the cartilage genes known to be regulated by Sox5/Sox6/Sox9 and are connected to Sox5/Sox6 by a negative feedback loop. Pax1/Pax9 are intertwined with BMP and TGF-B pathways and we propose they initiate expression of chondrogenic genes during early IVD differentiation and subsequently become restricted to the outer annulus by the negative feedback mechanism. Our findings highlight how early IVD development is regulated spatio-temporally and have implications for understanding kyphoscoliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Sivakamasundari
- The Single Cell Biology Laboratory, The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Petra Kraus
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA
| | - Wenjie Sun
- Computational and Systems Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, 60 Biopolis Street, 138672, Singapore
| | - Xiaoming Hu
- Computational and Systems Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, 60 Biopolis Street, 138672, Singapore
| | - Siew Lan Lim
- Computational and Systems Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, 60 Biopolis Street, 138672, Singapore
| | - Shyam Prabhakar
- Computational and Systems Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, 60 Biopolis Street, 138672, Singapore
| | - Thomas Lufkin
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA
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