Characterizing control of memory CD8 T cell differentiation by BTB-ZF transcription factor Zbtb20 using single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-Seq)

Members of the BTB-ZF transcription factor family regulate the immune system. Our lab identified that family member Zbtb20 contributes to the differentiation, recall responses and metabolism of CD8 T cells. Here, we report a characterization of the transcriptional and epigenetic signatures controlled by Zbtb20 at single-cell resolution during the effector and memory phases of the CD8 T cell response. Without Zbtb20, transcriptional programs associated with memory CD8 T cell formation were upregulated throughout the CD8 T response. A signature of open chromatin was associated with genes controlling T cell activation, consistent with the known impact on differentiation. Additionally, memory CD8 T cells lacking Zbtb20 were characterized by open chromatin regions with overrepresentation of AP-1 transcription factor motifs and elevated RNA- and protein-level expression of the corresponding AP-1 components. Finally, we describe motifs and genomic annotations from the DNA targets of Zbtb20 in CD8 T cells identified by CUT&RUN. Together, these data establish the transcriptional and epigenetic networks contributing to the control of CD8 T cell responses by Zbtb20. 4 samples of murine OT-I CD8 T cells responding to Listeria-actA-OVA infection. Each sample is the result of pooling OT-I cells from the splenocytes of four individual mice. Of these samples, 2 were collected 10 days post-infection and 2 were collected 35 days post-infection. At each time point, 1 sample is WT OT-I cells and 1 sample is Zbtb20 KO OT-I cells.