Fig. 4: Modulation of α-globin transcription dynamics throughout erythropoiesis.

a Distribution of mean spot intensities of individual cells through different stages of erythropoiesis. n values as shown from 5 biologically independent experiments. b Example spot intensity traces of cells within differentiation stages. Rows represent individual cells. Intensities are binned above the ON threshold of 350 arbitrary intensity units (black). c Distribution of the proportion of time spent in the active ON transcriptional state (above ON threshold) for each cell by differentiation stage. d Relationship between mean spot intensity and intra-cellular transcriptional variability (Fano factor) for individual cells across differentiation stages. e Relative levels of transcriptional variability throughout erythropoiesis defined by the ratio of the observed slopes of linear regression in D compared to that of all cells pooled (expected). Boxes within boxplots show median and interquartile range, whiskers show 9th and 91st percentile of distribution. Statistical comparisons are two-sided Mann–Whitney U tests where *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. P-values: a 1 vs 4: p = 0.0496, 4 vs 6: 0.0319. c 1 vs 4: p = 0.0123, 4 vs 6: 0.0035.