Roles of the kinase NUAK1 on spliceosome in the mouse cortex
The project focuses on the protein kinase NUAK1, which controls the development of brain cortical connectivity in mice. Recent data suggest that NUAK1 is involved in the regulation of the spliceosome and more broadly of mRNA biology. The aim of this project is to test whether inactivation of NUAK1 (constitutive KO) affects the expression level of genes relevant for cortical development in the embryonic brain. We collected the cortex of embryos (littermates) at the late embryonic developmental stage (E18.5, i.e. just before birth). The samples will be either KO or WT (controls). We collected the samples on the same day, under the same conditions, and as far as possible we made homogeneous groups: same litter, same proportion of males/females. Overall design: We collected the cortex of embryos from a constitutive NUAK1 KO line, at the E18.5 embryonic stage. At this stage the cortex is mainly composed of maturing neurons (70X), migrating interneurons (10X) and progenitors/glial cells/endothelial cells (15-20X).  Collection conditions: Samples were obtained from microdissected embryos. The females were mated at the same time and the embryos were from 4 litters.