Cell-type and dynamic state govern genetic regulation of gene expression in heterogeneous differentiating cultures

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 May 3:2024.05.02.592174. doi: 10.1101/2024.05.02.592174.

Abstract

Identifying the molecular effects of human genetic variation across cellular contexts is crucial for understanding the mechanisms underlying disease-associated loci, yet many cell-types and developmental stages remain underexplored. Here we harnessed the potential of heterogeneous differentiating cultures ( HDCs ), an in vitro system in which pluripotent cells asynchronously differentiate into a broad spectrum of cell-types. We generated HDCs for 53 human donors and collected single-cell RNA-sequencing data from over 900,000 cells. We identified expression quantitative trait loci in 29 cell-types and characterized regulatory dynamics across diverse differentiation trajectories. This revealed novel regulatory variants for genes involved in key developmental and disease-related processes while replicating known effects from primary tissues, and dynamic regulatory effects associated with a range of complex traits.

Publication types

  • Preprint