Single-nucleus RNA sequencing of developing superior colliculus identifies neuronal diversity and candidate mediators of circuit assembly

• Published in: Cell reports (Cambridge) 2023-09, Vol.42 (9), p.113037-113037, Article 113037
• Main Authors: Choi, James S., Ayupe, Ana C., Beckedorff, Felipe, Catanuto, Paola, McCartan, Robyn, Levay, Konstantin, Park, Kevin K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: axon growth; axon guidance; axon regeneration; axon targeting; circuit assembly; CP: Neuroscience; retinal ganglion cells; single-cell RNA sequencing; single-nucleus RNA sequencing; superior colliculus
• ISSN: 2211-1247; 2211-1247
• DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113037

The superior colliculus (SC) is a sensorimotor structure in the midbrain that integrates input from multiple sensory modalities to initiate motor commands. It undergoes well-characterized steps of circuit assembly during development, rendering the mouse SC a popular model to study establishment of neural connectivity. Here we perform single-nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis of the mouse SC isolated at various developmental time points. Our study provides a transcriptomic landscape of the cell types that comprise the SC across murine development with particular emphasis on neuronal heterogeneity. We report a repertoire of genes differentially expressed across the different postnatal ages, many of which are known to regulate axon guidance and synapse formation. Using these data, we find that Pax7 expression is restricted to a subset of GABAergic neurons. Our data provide a valuable resource for interrogating the mechanisms of circuit development and identifying markers for manipulating specific SC neuronal populations and circuits. [Display omitted] •snRNA-seq on superior colliculus (SC) at various ages reveals cell type diversity•snRNA-seq analysis reveals genes differentially expressed in the SC during development•Pax7 is a marker for a subset of GABAergic neurons with long-range axon projection•A web portal for comparing gene expression profiles in the SC cell types across the ages Choi et al. perform single-nucleus RNA-seq on mouse superior colliculus (SC) at various ages. Results show cell populations and their transcriptional signatures in developing and mature SC. To facilitate open exploration, the authors create a web portal for analyzing SC gene expression profiles across the ages.