Neocortical projection neurons instruct inhibitory interneuron circuit development in a lineage dependent manner

Neocortical circuits consist of stereotypical motifs that must self-assemble during development. Recent evidence suggests the subtype identity of both excitatory projection neurons (PNs) and inhibitory interneurons (INs) is important for this process. We knocked out the transcription factor Satb2 in PNs to induce those of the intratelencephalic (IT)-type to adopt a pyramidal tract (PT)-type identity. Loss of IT-type PNs selectively disrupted the lamination and circuit integration of INs derived from the caudal ganglionic eminence (CGE). Strikingly, reprogrammed PNs demonstrated reduced synaptic targeting of CGE-derived INs relative to controls. In control mice, IT-type PNs targeted neighboring CGE INs while PT-type PNs did not in deep layers, confirming this lineage-dependent motif. Finally, single cell RNA-sequencing revealed that major CGE IN subtypes were conserved after loss of IT PNs, but with differential transcription of synaptic proteins and signaling molecules. Thus, IT-type PNs influence CGE-derived INs in a non-cell autonomous manner during cortical development. Single-cell RNA-seq (10X Genomics Chromium) of FAC sorted GFP+ interneurons derived from the caudal ganglionic eminence (5HT3A-GFP mouse line), from primary visual cortex of juvenile (p21) mice