Regulation of dynamic pigment cell states at single-cell resolution

Abstract
Data availability
Article and author information
Metrics

Abstract

Cells bearing pigment have diverse roles and are often under strict evolutionary selection. Here, we explore the regulation of pigmented cells in the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, an emerging model for diverse pigment function. We took advantage of single cell RNA-seq (scRNAseq) technology and discovered that pigment cells in the embryo segregated into two distinct populations, a mitotic cluster and a post-mitotic cluster. Gcm is essential for expression of several genes important for pigment function, but is only transiently expressed in these cells. We discovered unique genes expressed by pigment cells and test their expression with double fluorescence in situ hybridization. These genes include new members of the fmo family that are expressed selectively in pigment cells of the embryonic and in the coelomic cells of the adult - both cell-types having immune functions. Overall, this study identifies nodes of molecular intersection ripe for change by selective evolutionary pressures.

Data availability

The sequencing data have been made publicly available at Gene Expression Omnibus under GSE155427

The following data sets were generated

(2020) Sp single cell RNA-seq
NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus, GSE155427.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE155427

Article and author information

Author details

Margherita Perillo

MCB Department, Brown University, Providence, United States

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0003-0845-507X
Nathalie Oulhen

MCB Department, Brown University, Providence, United States

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Stephany Foster

MCB Department, Brown University, Providence, United States

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Maxwell Spurell

MCB Department, Brown University, Providence, United States

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Cristina Calestani

Biology, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, United States

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Gary Wessel

MCB Department, Brown University, Providence, United States

For correspondence
rhet@brown.edu

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-1210-9279

Funding

National Institutes of Health (9RO1GM125071)

Gary Wessel

National Institutes of Health (1R01GM132222)

Gary Wessel

National Institutes of Health (1P20GM119943)

Nathalie Oulhen

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Copyright

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.