北京大学谢晓亮等研究人员合作发现，单细胞三维基因组和基因表达谱同布分析揭示，嗅觉受体选择背后的动态增强子连通性。2024年4月15日出版的《自然—方法学》发表了这项成果。

据了解，同时测量单个细胞的3D基因组结构和基因表达，对于理解基因组的结构-功能关系至关重要，但这对现有方法来说具有挑战性。

附：英文原文

Title: Simultaneous single-cell three-dimensional genome and gene expression profiling uncovers dynamic enhancer connectivity underlying olfactory receptor choice

Author: Wu, Honggui, Zhang, Jiankun, Jian, Fanchong, Chen, Jinxin Phaedo, Zheng, Yinghui, Tan, Longzhi, Sunney Xie, X.

Issue&Volume: 2024-04-15

Abstract: The simultaneous measurement of three-dimensional (3D) genome structure and gene expression of individual cells is critical for understanding a genome’s structure–function relationship, yet this is challenging for existing methods. Here we present ‘Linking mRNA to Chromatin Architecture (LiMCA)’, which jointly profiles the 3D genome and transcriptome with exceptional sensitivity and from low-input materials. Combining LiMCA and our high-resolution scATAC-seq assay, METATAC, we successfully characterized chromatin accessibility, as well as paired 3D genome structures and gene expression information, of individual developing olfactory sensory neurons. We expanded the repertoire of known olfactory receptor (OR) enhancers and discovered unexpected rules of their dynamics: OR genes and their enhancers are most accessible during early differentiation. Furthermore, we revealed the dynamic spatial relationship between ORs and enhancers behind stepwise OR expression. These findings offer valuable insights into how 3D connectivity of ORs and enhancers dynamically orchestrate the ‘one neuron–one receptor’ selection process.

DOI: 10.1038/s41592-024-02239-0

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-024-02239-0