A single cell RNA-seq resource for early sea urchin development

ABSTRACT: Here we leverage the sea urchin embryo for its rich history of developmental transitions, its well-established gene regulatory network, and the ability to readily dissociate embryos into single cells to interrogate the embryo by single cell RNA-seq. We tested eight developmental stages in S. purpuratus, from the eight-cell stage to late in gastrulation. The analysis revealed cell types derived from the abundant cells of the three germ layers as well as the rare cells of the germline. We used these datasets to parse out 22 major cell states of the embryo with focus on key transition stages for cell type specification of each germ layer. Sub-clustering of these major embryonic domains revealed over 50 cell states with distinct transcript profiles. Further, we identified the transcript profile of two cell states expressing germ cell factors, one we conclude are the primordial germ cells, and the other transiently present prior to gastrulation. We hypothesize that these cells of the veg2 tier of the early embryo may represent a lineage that converts to the germ line when the primordial germ cells are deleted (Voronina et al., 2008). This broad resource will hopefully enable the community to identify other cell states and genes of interest to expose the underpinning of developmental mechanisms.

ORGANISM(S): Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

PROVIDER: GSE149221 | GEO | 2020/07/04

REPOSITORIES: GEO