Fig. 5

Biological associations arising from the lncRNAs correlated with protein-coding genes in RGCs. Heat map with correlated lncRNAs (columns) and mRNA (rows) (r > 0.88 or r < − 0.88) are shown for each group of DE mRNAs and DE lncRNAs in the RGC group comparisons: injured ooDSGCs vs. normal ooDSGCs (a), injured ooDSGCs vs. injured ipRGCs (b) and normal ooDSGCs vs. normal ipRGCs (c). The correlation between DE lncRNAs and DE mRNAs was calculated based on the expression profiles from ipRGCs and ooDSGCs of our study and from the major RGC types identified in the single cell RNA-seq study [9]. In each group comparison, the DE mRNAs were grouped in correlation clusters and used for Gene Ontology enrichment analysis (GO). Five terms among the top ten GO enriched terms in each cluster are shown on the right of each panel. Red to blue Pearson Correlation scale indicates the degree to which mRNA expression is positively (dark red), negatively (dark blue), or not correlated with the expression of the respective lncRNA. LncRNAs in purple and green fonts are upregulated and downregulated, respectively, in each RGC group comparison