Spatial transcriptomic studies of the small intestine from WT and DDX5?IEC (KO) mice

DDX5, a DEAD box containing RNA binding protein, is involved in multiple aspects of RNA metabolism and is abundantly expressed in all subsets of the intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). Here, we characterized the DDX5-dependent transcriptome in the small intestine. In the DDX5?IEC tissue, we found that secretory IEC lineage progenitor containing spots (Atoh1hi and Sox4hi) had reduced expression of Pou2f3, a master regulator of a subset of IECs called tuft cells. As a result of the loss of Pou2f3 expression in the progenitors, DDX5?IEC tissue harbored lower number of tuft cell containing spots (Dclk1hi) compare to WT tissues. Overall design: One intestine tissue from each genotype were obtained from 8wk old cohoused mice. Results of ileum epithelium from DDX5?IEC mutant mice were compared to those from WT mice.