McLean, N. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2024

An enhancer-AAV toolbox to target and manipulate distinct interneuron subtypes

In recent years, we and others have identified a number of enhancers that, when incorporated into rAAV vectors, can restrict the transgene expression to particular neuronal populations. Yet, viral tools to access and manipulate specific neuronal subtypes are still limited. Here, we performed systematic analysis of single cell genomic data to identify enhancer candidates for each of the telencephalic interneuron subtypes. We established a set of enhancer-AAV tools that are highly specific for distinct cortical interneuron populations and striatal cholinergic interneurons. These enhancers, when used in the context of different effectors, can target (fluorescent proteins), observe activity (GCaMP) and manipulate (opto-genetics) specific neuronal subtypes. We also validated our enhancer-AAV tools across species. Thus, we provide the field with a powerful set of tools to study neural circuits and functions and to develop precise and targeted therapy.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

The RNA pseudoknots in foot-and-mouth disease virus are dispensable for genome replication but essential for the production of infectious virus.

The positive stranded RNA genomes of picornaviruses comprise a single large open reading frame flanked by 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs). Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) has an unusually large 5' UTR (1.3 kb) containing five structural domains. These include the internal ribosome entry site (IRES), which facilitates initiation of translation, and the cis-acting replication element (cre). Less well characterised structures are a 5' terminal 360 nucleotide stem-loop, a variable length poly-C-tract of approximately 100-200 nucleotides and a series of two to four tandemly repeated pseudoknots (PKs). We investigated the structures of the PKs by selective 2' hydroxyl acetylation analysed by primer extension (SHAPE) analysis and determined their contribution to genome replication by mutation and deletion experiments. SHAPE and mutation experiments confirmed the importance of the previously predicted PK structures for their function. Deletion experiments showed that although PKs are not essential for replication, they provide genomes with a competitive advantage. However, although replicons and full-length genomes lacking all PKs were replication competent, no infectious virus was rescued from genomes containing less than one PK copy. This is consistent with our earlier report describing the presence of putative packaging signals in the PK region.

molecular biology↗