About the Authors

Astra Dinculescu

Contributed equally to this work with: Astra Dinculescu, Rachel M. Stupay

astra@ufl.edu

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Rachel M. Stupay

Contributed equally to this work with: Astra Dinculescu, Rachel M. Stupay

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Wen-Tao Deng

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Frank M. Dyka

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Seok-Hong Min

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Sanford L. Boye

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Vince A. Chiodo

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Carolina E. Abrahan

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Ping Zhu

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Qiuhong Li

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Enrica Strettoi

Affiliation CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy

Elena Novelli

Affiliation CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy

Kerstin Nagel-Wolfrum

Affiliation Cell and Matrix Biology, Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany

Uwe Wolfrum

Affiliation Cell and Matrix Biology, Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany

W. Clay Smith

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

William W. Hauswirth

Affiliation Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Competing Interests

WWH and the University of Florida have a financial interest in the use of AAV therapies and own equity in a company (AGTC, Inc.) that might, in the future, commercialize some aspects of this work. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: AD WCS WWH. Performed the experiments: AD RMS WTD FMD SHM SLB VAC CEA PZ QL ES EN KNW UW. Analyzed the data: AD RMS SHM WTD FMD WCS WWH. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: VAC ES EN KNW UW. Wrote the paper: AD RMS WCS WWH.