SScience4/23/2026

Mapping transcription factor functions in astrocytes using in vivo gain-of-function Perturb-seq

An in vivo approach combining high-throughput screening with cell type-specific readouts could enable elucidation of genotype-phenotype relationships in complex tissues. We developed an in vivo gain-of-function Perturb-seq platform, termed iGOF-Perturb-seq, to build a functional atlas of ~1000 transcription factors (TFs) in astrocytes, a cell type essential to many brain functions. We then identified cofunctional modules, annotated uncharacterized TFs, and predicted disease-associated TF cluster