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Kushinsky D, Tsivourakis E, Apelblat D, Roethler O, Breger-Mikulincer M, Cohen-Kashi Malina K, Spiegel I. Daily light-induced transcription in visual cortex neurons drives downward firing rate homeostasis and stabilizes sensory processing. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114701. [PMID: 39244753 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Balancing plasticity and stability in neural circuits is essential for an animal's ability to learn from its environment while preserving proper processing and perception of sensory information. However, unlike the mechanisms that drive plasticity in neural circuits, the activity-induced molecular mechanisms that convey functional stability remain poorly understood. Focusing on the visual cortex of adult mice and combining transcriptomics, electrophysiology, and in vivo calcium imaging, we find that the daily appearance of light induces, in excitatory neurons, a large gene program along with rapid and transient increases in the ratio of excitation and inhibition (E/I ratio) and neural activity. Furthermore, we find that the light-induced transcription factor NPAS4 drives these daily normalizations of the E/I ratio and neural activity rates and that it stabilizes the neurons' response properties. These findings indicate that daily sensory-induced transcription normalizes the E/I ratio and drives downward firing rate homeostasis to maintain proper sensory processing and perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dahlia Kushinsky
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Emmanouil Tsivourakis
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Daniella Apelblat
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ori Roethler
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Katayun Cohen-Kashi Malina
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ivo Spiegel
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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2
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Wang W, Liu W, Liu S, Duan D, Ma Y, Zhang Z, Li C, Tang Y, Wang Z, Xing Y. Specific Activation of Dopamine Receptor D1 Expressing Neurons in the PrL Alleviates CSDS-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior Comorbidity with Postoperative Hyperalgesia in Male Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04444-6. [PMID: 39177734 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04444-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Postoperative pain is a type of pain that occurs in clinical patients after surgery. Among the factors influencing the transition from acute postoperative pain to chronic postoperative pain, chronic stress has received much attention in recent years. Here, we investigated the role of dopamine receptor D1/D2 expressing pyramidal neurons in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) in modulating chronic social defeat stress (CSDS)-induced anxiety-like behavior comorbidity with postoperative hyperalgesia in male mice. Our results showed that preoperative CSDS induced anxiety-like behavior and significantly prolonged postoperative pain caused by plantar incision, but did not affect plantar wound recovery and inflammation. Reduced activation of dopamine receptor D1 or D2 expressing neurons in the PrL is a remarkable feature of male mice after CSDS, and chronic inhibition of dopamine receptor D1 or D2 expressing neurons in the PrL induced anxiety-like behavior and persistent postoperative pain. Further studies found that activation of D1 expressing but not D2 expressing neurons in the PrL ameliorated CSDS-induced anxiety-like behavior and postoperative hyperalgesia. Our results suggest that dopamine receptor D1 expressing neurons in the PrL play a crucial role in CSDS-induced anxiety-like behavior comorbidity with postoperative hyperalgesia in male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Wang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Science Road, Gao-Xin District, Henan, 450001, Zhengzhou, China
- The Academy of Medical Sciences of Zhengzhou University, Henan, 450001, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Weizhen Liu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Science Road, Gao-Xin District, Henan, 450001, Zhengzhou, China
- The Academy of Medical Sciences of Zhengzhou University, Henan, 450001, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Sufang Liu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX75246, USA
| | - Dongxiao Duan
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Science Road, Gao-Xin District, Henan, 450001, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yajing Ma
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, 476000, China
| | - Zijuan Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Changsheng Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yuanyuan Tang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Zhiju Wang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Science Road, Gao-Xin District, Henan, 450001, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Ying Xing
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Science Road, Gao-Xin District, Henan, 450001, Zhengzhou, China.
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Walker H, Frost NA. Distinct transcriptional programs define a heterogeneous neuronal ensemble for social interaction. iScience 2024; 27:110355. [PMID: 39045099 PMCID: PMC11263963 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Social interactions are encoded by the coordinated activity of heterogeneous cell types within distributed brain regions including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). However, our understanding of the cell types which comprise the social ensemble has been limited by available mouse lines and reliance on single marker genes. We identified differentially active neuronal populations during social interactions by quantifying immediate-early gene (IEG) expression using snRNA-sequencing. These studies revealed that distinct prefrontal neuron populations composed of heterogeneous cell types are activated by social interaction. Evaluation of IEG expression within these recruited neuronal populations revealed cell-type and region-specific programs, suggesting that reliance on a single molecular marker is insufficient to quantify activation across all cell types. Our findings provide a comprehensive description of cell-type specific transcriptional programs invoked by social interactions and reveal insights into the neuronal populations which compose the social ensemble.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailee Walker
- University of Utah, Department of Neurology, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Frost
- University of Utah, Department of Neurology, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
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Bhatti DL, Jin J, Cheng J, McCabe K, Lee KW, Berdasco C, Jeong YY, Sinha SC, Kim Y. Ahnak in the prefrontal cortex mediates behavioral correlates of stress resilience and rapid antidepressant action in mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1350716. [PMID: 38828281 PMCID: PMC11140847 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1350716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a key neural node mediating behavioral responses to stress and the actions of ketamine, a fast-acting antidepressant. The molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, however, are not fully understood. Our recent study revealed a pivotal role of hippocampal Ahnak as a regulator of cellular and behavioral adaptations to chronic stress. However, despite its significant expression in the PFC, the contribution of cortical Ahnak to behavioral responses to stress and antidepressants remains unknown. Here, using a mouse model for chronic social stress, we find that Ahnak expression in the PFC is significantly increased in stress-resilient mice and positively correlated with social interaction after stress exposure. Conditional deletion of Ahnak in the PFC or forebrain glutamatergic neurons facilitates stress susceptibility, suggesting that Ahnak is required for behavioral resilience. Further supporting this notion, Ahnak expression in the PFC is increased after the administration of ketamine or its metabolite (2R, 6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK). Moreover, Ahnak deletion in forebrain glutamatergic neurons blocks the restorative behavioral effects of ketamine or HNK in stress-susceptible mice. This forebrain excitatory neuron-specific Ahnak deletion reduces the frequency of mini excitatory postsynaptic currents in layer II/III pyramidal neurons, suggesting that Ahnak may induce its behavioral effects via modulation of glutamatergic transmission in the PFC. Altogether, these data suggest that Ahnak in glutamatergic PFC neurons may be critical for behavioral resilience and antidepressant actions of ketamine or HNK in chronic social stress-exposed mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dionnet L. Bhatti
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Junghee Jin
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jia Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kathryn McCabe
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ko-Woon Lee
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Clara Berdasco
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Yu Young Jeong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Subhash C. Sinha
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Weill Cornell Medicine Helen & Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yong Kim
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
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Oh EY, Han KM, Kim A, Kang Y, Tae WS, Han MR, Ham BJ. Integration of whole-exome sequencing and structural neuroimaging analysis in major depressive disorder: a joint study. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:141. [PMID: 38461185 PMCID: PMC10924915 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02849-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental illness worldwide and is triggered by an intricate interplay between environmental and genetic factors. Although there are several studies on common variants in MDD, studies on rare variants are relatively limited. In addition, few studies have examined the genetic contributions to neurostructural alterations in MDD using whole-exome sequencing (WES). We performed WES in 367 patients with MDD and 161 healthy controls (HCs) to detect germline and copy number variations in the Korean population. Gene-based rare variants were analyzed to investigate the association between the genes and individuals, followed by neuroimaging-genetic analysis to explore the neural mechanisms underlying the genetic impact in 234 patients with MDD and 135 HCs using diffusion tensor imaging data. We identified 40 MDD-related genes and observed 95 recurrent regions of copy number variations. We also discovered a novel gene, FRMPD3, carrying rare variants that influence MDD. In addition, the single nucleotide polymorphism rs771995197 in the MUC6 gene was significantly associated with the integrity of widespread white matter tracts. Moreover, we identified 918 rare exonic missense variants in genes associated with MDD susceptibility. We postulate that rare variants of FRMPD3 may contribute significantly to MDD, with a mild penetration effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Young Oh
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Man Han
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Brain Convergence Research Center, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Aram Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Youbin Kang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Suk Tae
- Brain Convergence Research Center, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-Ryung Han
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Byung-Joo Ham
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Brain Convergence Research Center, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Sha Q, Fu Z, Escobar Galvis ML, Madaj Z, Underwood MD, Steiner JA, Dwork A, Simpson N, Galfalvy H, Rozoklija G, Achtyes ED, Mann JJ, Brundin L. Integrative transcriptome- and DNA methylation analysis of brain tissue from the temporal pole in suicide decedents and their controls. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:134-145. [PMID: 37938766 PMCID: PMC11078738 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02311-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Suicide rates have increased steadily world-wide over the past two decades, constituting a serious public health crisis that creates a significant burden to affected families and the society as a whole. Suicidal behavior involves a multi-factorial etiology, including psychological, social and biological factors. Since the molecular neural mechanisms of suicide remain vastly uncharacterized, we examined transcriptional- and methylation profiles of postmortem brain tissue from subjects who died from suicide as well as their neurotypical healthy controls. We analyzed temporal pole tissue from 61 subjects, largely free from antidepressant and antipsychotic medication, using RNA-sequencing and DNA-methylation profiling using an array that targets over 850,000 CpG sites. Expression of NPAS4, a key regulator of inflammation and neuroprotection, was significantly downregulated in the suicide decedent group. Moreover, we identified a total of 40 differentially methylated regions in the suicide decedent group, mapping to seven genes with inflammatory function. There was a significant association between NPAS4 DNA methylation and NPAS4 expression in the control group that was absent in the suicide decedent group, confirming its dysregulation. NPAS4 expression was significantly associated with the expression of multiple inflammatory factors in the brain tissue. Overall, gene sets and pathways closely linked to inflammation were significantly upregulated, while specific pathways linked to neuronal development were suppressed in the suicide decedent group. Excitotoxicity as well as suppressed oligodendrocyte function were also implicated in the suicide decedents. In summary, we have identified central nervous system inflammatory mechanisms that may be active during suicidal behavior, along with oligodendrocyte dysfunction and altered glutamate neurotransmission. In these processes, NPAS4 might be a master regulator, warranting further studies to validate its role as a potential biomarker or therapeutic target in suicidality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Sha
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Zhen Fu
- Bioinformatics & Biostatistics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | | | - Zach Madaj
- Bioinformatics & Biostatistics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Mark D Underwood
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer A Steiner
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Andrew Dwork
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje, Macedonia
| | - Norman Simpson
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hanga Galfalvy
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Mental Health Data Science, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gorazd Rozoklija
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric D Achtyes
- Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
| | - J John Mann
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lena Brundin
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
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Walker H, Frost NA. Distinct transcriptional programs define a heterogeneous neuronal ensemble for social interaction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.22.573153. [PMID: 38187723 PMCID: PMC10769355 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.22.573153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Reliable representations of information regarding complex behaviors including social interactions require the coordinated activity of heterogeneous cell types within distributed brain regions. Activity in the medial prefrontal cortex is critical in regulating social behavior, but our understanding of the specific cell types which comprise the social ensemble has been limited by available mouse lines and molecular tagging strategies which rely on the expression of a single marker gene. Here we sought to quantify the heterogeneous neuronal populations which are recruited during social interaction in parallel in a non-biased manner and determine how distinct cell types are differentially active during social interactions. We identify distinct populations of prefrontal neurons activated by social interaction by quantification of immediate early gene (IEG) expression in transcriptomically clustered neurons. This approach revealed variability in the recruitment of different excitatory and inhibitory populations within the medial prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, evaluation of the populations of IEGs recruited following social interaction revealed both cell-type and region-specific transcriptional programs, suggesting that reliance on a single molecular marker is insufficient to quantify activation across all cell types. Our findings provide a comprehensive description of cell-type specific transcriptional programs invoked by social interactions and reveal new insights into the heterogeneous neuronal populations which compose the social ensemble.
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Selçuk B, Aksu T, Dereli O, Adebali O. Downregulated NPAS4 in multiple brain regions is associated with major depressive disorder. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21596. [PMID: 38062059 PMCID: PMC10703936 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48646-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a commonly observed psychiatric disorder that affects more than 2% of the world population with a rising trend. However, disease-associated pathways and biomarkers are yet to be fully comprehended. In this study, we analyzed previously generated RNA-seq data across seven different brain regions from three distinct studies to identify differentially and co-expressed genes for patients with MDD. Differential gene expression (DGE) analysis revealed that NPAS4 is the only gene downregulated in three different brain regions. Furthermore, co-expressing gene modules responsible for glutamatergic signaling are negatively enriched in these regions. We used the results of both DGE and co-expression analyses to construct a novel MDD-associated pathway. In our model, we propose that disruption in glutamatergic signaling-related pathways might be associated with the downregulation of NPAS4 and many other immediate-early genes (IEGs) that control synaptic plasticity. In addition to DGE analysis, we identified the relative importance of KEGG pathways in discriminating MDD phenotype using a machine learning-based approach. We anticipate that our study will open doors to developing better therapeutic approaches targeting glutamatergic receptors in the treatment of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berkay Selçuk
- Molecular Biology, Genetics and Bioengineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tuana Aksu
- Molecular Biology, Genetics and Bioengineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Onur Dereli
- Molecular Biology, Genetics and Bioengineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ogün Adebali
- Molecular Biology, Genetics and Bioengineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956, Istanbul, Turkey.
- TÜBİTAK Research Institute for Fundamental Sciences, 41470, Gebze, Turkey.
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