The mRNA-Seq data of Zic3 overexpression in chicken limbs

Birds exhibit a remarkable diversity in limb morphology. Zic3, a transcription factor highly expressed in the anterior of the limb, has differential expression among bird species. To study how it regulates digit morphogenesis in birds, we overexpressed the chicken-Zic3 gene in the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) of developing chicken hindlimbs at Hamburger Hamilton (HH) stage 10 using the RCAS avian retrovirus. At HH30, the autopod was dissected and subjected to transcriptome sequencing (mRNA-Seq), with the corresponding positions of individuals injected with the empty RCAS vector serving as controls. Enrichment analysis of differential genes and GSEA analysis suggest that the Zic3 gene inhibits multiple pathways related to skeletal development, resulting in a delay in digit development. Overall design: After 5 days of infection (HH30), the entire autopod regions of individuals injected with RCAS-Zic3 were collected under a microscope. The same procedure was applied to the control group, where the corresponding areas of individuals injected with RCAS were collected. Each group included three biological replicates.