1. The dynamic genetic determinants of increased transcriptional divergence in spermatids.
- Author
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Panten J, Heinen T, Ernst C, Eling N, Wagner RE, Satorius M, Marioni JC, Stegle O, and Odom DT
- Subjects
- Male, Animals, Mice, Spermatids, Gene Expression Regulation
- Abstract
Cis-genetic effects are key determinants of transcriptional divergence in discrete tissues and cell types. However, how cis- and trans-effects act across continuous trajectories of cellular differentiation in vivo is poorly understood. Here, we quantify allele-specific expression during spermatogenic differentiation at single-cell resolution in an F1 hybrid mouse system, allowing for the comprehensive characterisation of cis- and trans-genetic effects, including their dynamics across cellular differentiation. Collectively, almost half of the genes subject to genetic regulation show evidence for dynamic cis-effects that vary during differentiation. Our system also allows us to robustly identify dynamic trans-effects, which are less pervasive than cis-effects. In aggregate, genetic effects were strongest in round spermatids, which parallels their increased transcriptional divergence we identified between species. Our approach provides a comprehensive quantification of the variability of genetic effects in vivo, and demonstrates a widely applicable strategy to dissect the impact of regulatory variants on gene regulation in dynamic systems., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
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