HOX gene expression in the developing human spine
Positional coding along the anterior-posterior axis is regulated by HOX genes, whose 3' to 5' expression correlates with location along this axis. The precise utilisation of HOX genes in different human cell types is not fully understood. Here, we use single-cell and spatial-transcriptomics, along with in-situ sequencing, to create a developmental atlas of the human fetal spine. We analyse HOX gene expression across cell types during development, finding that neural-crest derivatives unexpectedly retain the anatomical HOX code of their origin while also adopting the code of their destination. This trend is confirmed across multiple organs. In the axial plane of the spinal cord, we find distinct patterns in the ventral and dorsal domains, providing insights into motor pool organisation and loss of collinearity in HOXB genes. Our findings shed new light on HOX gene expression in the developing spine, highlighting a HOX gene 'source code' in neural-crest cell derivatives.
Authors
- Pavel Mazin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9268-3352)
- Omer Ali Bayraktar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6055-277X)
- John E. Lawrence (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7951-915X)
- Lira Mamanova (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1463-8622)
- Sarah Amalia Teichmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6294-6366)
- Alice Piapi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8251-3309)
- Liam Bolt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7293-0774)
- Elena Prigmore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8870-0316)
- Inga Usher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2147-630X)
- Tong Li
- Adrienne M. Flanagan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2832-1303)
- Laura Richardson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8075-3816)
- Kenny S. Roberts (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6155-0821)
- Petra Balogh
- Sam Behjati (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6600-7665)
- Nathaniel D. Anderson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4523-6327)
- Xiaoling He (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1002-8418)
- Roger A. Barker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8843-7730)
- Matthew D. Young (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0937-5290)
- Elizabeth J. Tuck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1837-7549)
Institutions
- Wellcome/MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (GB)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Great Ormond Street Hospital (GB)
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Wellcome Sanger Institute (GB)
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (GB)
- Addenbrooke's Hospital (GB)
- University College London (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2024-11-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54187-0
- Citations
- 16
- Primary Topic
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.74
Funders
- Wellcome
- Wellcome Trust
- Medical Research Council