Comparing cortex-wide gene expression patterns between species in a common reference frame

Abstract

Advances in sequencing techniques have made comparative studies of gene expression a current focus for understanding evolutionary and developmental processes. However, insights into the spatial expression of genes have been limited by a lack of robust methodology. We therefore developed a set of algorithms for quantifying and comparing tissue-wide spatial patterns of gene expression within and across species. Here we apply these algorithms to compare cortex-wide expression of Id2 and RZR{beta} mRNA in early postnatal mice and voles. We show that neocortical patterns of Id2 expression are moderately conserved between species, but that the degree of conservation varies by cortical layer and area. By comparison, patterns of RZR{beta} expression are highly conserved in somatosensory areas, and more variable between species in visual and auditory areas. We consider if these differences reflect independent evolution in the 35 million years since the last common ancestor.