Single-cell RNA-Seq reveals dynamic, random monoallelic gene expression in mammalian cells

In the diploid genome, genes come in two copies, which can have different DNA sequence and where one is maternal and one is paternal. In a particular cell, a gene could potentially be expressed from both copies (biallelic expression) or only one (monoallelic). We performed RNA-Sequencing on individual cells, from zygote to the cells of the late blastocyst, and also individual cells from the adult liver. Using first generation crosses between two distantly related mouse strains, CAST/Ei and C57BL/6, we determined the expression separately from the maternal and paternal alleles. We found that half of the genes were expressed by only one allele, randomly so that some cells would express the paternal allele, some the maternal and a few cell both alleles. We also observed the spread of the progressive inactivation of the paternal X chromosome. Overall design: First generation mouse strain crosses were used to study monoallelic expression on the single cell level

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Deng Q, Ramsköld D, Reinius B, Sandberg R