A single-cell multi-omic atlas spanning the adult rhesus macaque brain

Sci Adv. 2023 Oct 13;9(41):eadh1914. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adh1914. Epub 2023 Oct 12.

Abstract

Cataloging the diverse cellular architecture of the primate brain is crucial for understanding cognition, behavior, and disease in humans. Here, we generated a brain-wide single-cell multimodal molecular atlas of the rhesus macaque brain. Together, we profiled 2.58 M transcriptomes and 1.59 M epigenomes from single nuclei sampled from 30 regions across the adult brain. Cell composition differed extensively across the brain, revealing cellular signatures of region-specific functions. We also identified 1.19 M candidate regulatory elements, many previously unidentified, allowing us to explore the landscape of cis-regulatory grammar and neurological disease risk in a cell type-specific manner. Altogether, this multi-omic atlas provides an open resource for investigating the evolution of the human brain and identifying novel targets for disease interventions.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain*
  • Macaca mulatta / genetics
  • Multiomics*
  • Transcriptome