3D RNA profile of habenulae in the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula: a reference in jawed vertebrates

Abstract

We report the generation of a spatially resolved RNA profile of the habenulae in a chondrichthyan, the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula. The digital profiles obtained for candidate markers of the broad territories previously characterized in this species reflect their broad characteristics, including left- or right asymmetric distributions. We use spatial autocorrelation and autocorrelation as measures to analyze these data and identify novel territory markers. These analyses lead to a refined molecular characterization of catshark habenulae and lead to extended lists of markers for the major territories previously identified. They confirm the marked asymmetry of the catshark habenulae, both in its lateral and medial components. In addition, they highlight a bilateral lateral to medial organization in radial bands, which may reflect a temporal regulation of neurogenesis. These data lead to a novel reference to explore the lmode of evolution of habenulae and of their asymmetries across gnathostomes.