Identification of novel coloboma candidate genes through conserved gene expression analyses across Four vertebrate species

To identify genes that specifically regulate opticFissure closure, we conducted transcriptomic analysis of embronyic eye tissues of chicken at stages during and after optic fisssure closure. Comparative gene expression profiling analysis of RNA-seq data during and after optic fissure closure (corresponding to Hamburger-Hamilton stage 30 and 34 respectively), with stage-matched non-fusing dorsal tissues as controls