RNA-seq analysis of de larval ventral nerve cord (VNC) from kdm5[L854F] and enzymatically inactive kdm5[JmjC*]

We performed a transcriptome analysis of the larval VNC in kdm5 WT, kdm5[L854F] and enzymatically inactive kdm5[JmjC] in order to identify genes contributing to the phenotypes observed in the mutants' neuromuscular junction (NMJ). We found that inactivation of the catalytic activity in kdm5[JmjC] causes dysregulation of genes related to glutamate metabolism while the mutation L854F leads to dysregulation of genes involved in microtubule cytoskeleton dynamics. We also found a group of genes dysregulated in both mutants that likely explain a common NMJ phenotype. VNC mRNA profiles of third instar larvae of wildtype (kdm5 140 rescued by a gKDM5 transgene), kdm5[L854F] homozygotes and kdm5[JmjC*] homozygotes, in quadruplicate.