Comprehensive transcriptomes of mouse pancreatic beta cells that transdifferentiated from alpha cells

Rodent models are widely used to study diabetes. Yet, significant gaps remain in our understanding of mouse islet physiology, including the maintenance of mature endocrine cell fate. We generated comprehensive transcriptomes beta cells that transdifferentiated from alpha cells using a triple transgenic mouse models generated for this purpose. FACS purified beta cells with an alpha cell lineage label that reflect beta cells that transdifferentiated from alpha cells, along with alpha cells and beta cells [GSE80673] from the same islets. Islets were isolated from triple transgenic offspring of a cross between Ins1-H2b-mCherry (Jax # 028589) and Gcg-cre (alpha) cells and a floxed YFP allele to lineage-label alpha cells. Islets from replicate groups of 10 to 12 triple transgenic animals for each group were pooled by sex to obtain sufficient material. Pooled islets were dissociated, sorted and collect in Trizol for RNA isolation and library construction. Islets from replicate groups of 10 to 12 bitransgenic females for each group were pooled to obtain sufficient material. Pooled islets were dissociated, sorted and collect in Trizol for RNA isolation and library construction.