Host transcriptomic response to a bacterial toxin at single-nuclei resolution
We are studying the host immune response to a bacterial toxin in the chicken spleen and bursa. We performed snRNAseq to analyze the various immune cell types that play a role in combating the infection and the cell-type transcriptional response. Overall design: In this study, we used Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory (ADOL) White Leghorn line 6 birds at 5 weeks of age and performed snRNAseq to determine the splenic cell-type transcriptomic changes occurring in LPS-infected and non-infected states. Birds at five weeks of age were injected intravenously with LPS-derived from E. coli (55: B5 Millipore Sigma) and timed body temperature responses to LPS systemic treatment were recorded at 1, 4, 10, and 24 hours post inoculation to ensure the biphasic body temperature elevation was observed. Control birds were given 150 microliters of phosphate buffered saline, (PBS).  Spleen and bursae were asepectically removed, homeogenized, and single nuclei were used to generate a snRNAseq library used for downstream analyses including cell type identification, cell-to-cell communication, pathway enrichment analysis, and protein network analysis.