Postnatal loss of Arx transcriptional activity in parvalbumin interneurons induces epilepsy-like network abnormalities

We report the use to RNA-sequencing to understand the role of postnatal Arx in the regulation of PV interneuron function. Total RNA extracted from control and Arx CKO male mice cells were submitted to the Next-Generation Sequencing Core of the University of Pennsylvania for cDNA amplification, library preparation, and sequencing using the Ovation RNA-seq v2 and Rapid DR Multiplexing kits (NuGEN). Whole mRNAseq libraries were prepared from 9 mice (5 control and 4 Arx CKO mice) using the SMARTer Ultra Low RNA Kit for Illumina Sequencing (Clontech, Cat#634936) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Standard methods to assess sample quality (Agilent Bioanalyzer, Kappa Biosystems Library Quantification kit, Qubit® Fluorometer) and measure cDNA concentration were used. A total of 1ng of amplified cDNA for each sample was used as input to build the sequencing libraries. Whole mRNAseq libraries from control and Arx CKO mice were quantified using Agilent Bioanalyzer DNA 7500 chips. Libraries were sequenced on the Illumina HiSeq 4000 2 × 100 (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) to generate 150bp paired end reads, yielding approximately 20-40 million reads per sample (~80 million reads per lane). PV interneurons weresorted by FACS in adult mice for RNA-Seq studies. 5 Control mice(PV-CreTdTom) were compared to 4 Arx floxed/Y:PVCreTdTom (Arx CKO) mice for RNA-seq.