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Bonham-Carter B, Schiebinger G. Cellular proliferation biases clonal lineage tracing and trajectory inference. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae483. [PMID: 39102821 PMCID: PMC11316616 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Lineage tracing and trajectory inference from single-cell RNA-sequencing data hold tremendous potential for uncovering the genetic programs driving development and disease. Single cell datasets are thought to provide an unbiased view on the diverse cellular architecture of tissues. Sampling bias, however, can skew single cell datasets away from the cellular composition they are meant to represent. RESULTS We demonstrate a novel form of sampling bias, caused by a statistical phenomenon related to repeated sampling from a growing, heterogeneous population. Relative growth rates of cells influence the probability that they will be sampled in clones observed across multiple time points. We support our probabilistic derivations with a simulation study and an analysis of a real time-course of T-cell development. We find that this bias can impact fate probability predictions, and we explore how to develop trajectory inference methods which are robust to this bias. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION Source code for the simulated datasets and to create the figures in this manuscript is freely available in python at https://github.com/rbonhamcarter/simulate-clones. A python implementation of the extension of the LineageOT method is freely available at https://github.com/rbonhamcarter/LineageOT/tree/multi-time-clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becca Bonham-Carter
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Geoffrey Schiebinger
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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2
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Qu R, Cheng X, Sefik E, Stanley Iii JS, Landa B, Strino F, Platt S, Garritano J, Odell ID, Coifman R, Flavell RA, Myung P, Kluger Y. Gene trajectory inference for single-cell data by optimal transport metrics. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02186-3. [PMID: 38580861 PMCID: PMC11452571 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02186-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing has been widely used to investigate cell state transitions and gene dynamics of biological processes. Current strategies to infer the sequential dynamics of genes in a process typically rely on constructing cell pseudotime through cell trajectory inference. However, the presence of concurrent gene processes in the same group of cells and technical noise can obscure the true progression of the processes studied. To address this challenge, we present GeneTrajectory, an approach that identifies trajectories of genes rather than trajectories of cells. Specifically, optimal transport distances are calculated between gene distributions across the cell-cell graph to extract gene programs and define their gene pseudotemporal order. Here we demonstrate that GeneTrajectory accurately extracts progressive gene dynamics in myeloid lineage maturation. Moreover, we show that GeneTrajectory deconvolves key gene programs underlying mouse skin hair follicle dermal condensate differentiation that could not be resolved by cell trajectory approaches. GeneTrajectory facilitates the discovery of gene programs that control the changes and activities of biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rihao Qu
- Computational Biology & Bioinformatics Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiuyuan Cheng
- Department of Mathematics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Esen Sefik
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Boris Landa
- Program in Applied Mathematics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Sarah Platt
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James Garritano
- Program in Applied Mathematics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ian D Odell
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ronald Coifman
- Program in Applied Mathematics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Mathematics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Richard A Flavell
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Peggy Myung
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yuval Kluger
- Computational Biology & Bioinformatics Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Program in Applied Mathematics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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3
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Zhang K, Zhu J, Kong D, Zhang Z. Modeling single cell trajectory using forward-backward stochastic differential equations. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012015. [PMID: 38620017 PMCID: PMC11018287 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in single-cell sequencing technology have provided opportunities for mathematical modeling of dynamic developmental processes at the single-cell level, such as inferring developmental trajectories. Optimal transport has emerged as a promising theoretical framework for this task by computing pairings between cells from different time points. However, optimal transport methods have limitations in capturing nonlinear trajectories, as they are static and can only infer linear paths between endpoints. In contrast, stochastic differential equations (SDEs) offer a dynamic and flexible approach that can model non-linear trajectories, including the shape of the path. Nevertheless, existing SDE methods often rely on numerical approximations that can lead to inaccurate inferences, deviating from true trajectories. To address this challenge, we propose a novel approach combining forward-backward stochastic differential equations (FBSDE) with a refined approximation procedure. Our FBSDE model integrates the forward and backward movements of two SDEs in time, aiming to capture the underlying dynamics of single-cell developmental trajectories. Through comprehensive benchmarking on multiple scRNA-seq datasets, we demonstrate the superior performance of FBSDE compared to other methods, highlighting its efficacy in accurately inferring developmental trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Zhang
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Junhao Zhu
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dehan Kong
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zhaolei Zhang
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Nolan TM, Shahan R. Resolving plant development in space and time with single-cell genomics. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 76:102444. [PMID: 37696725 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell genomics technologies are ushering in a new research era. In this review, we summarize the benefits and current challenges of using these technologies to probe the transcriptional regulation of plant development. In addition to profiling cells at a single snapshot in time, researchers have recently produced time-resolved datasets to map cell responses to stimuli. Live-imaging and spatial transcriptomic techniques are rapidly being adopted to link a cell's transcriptional profile with its spatial location within a tissue. Combining these technologies is a powerful spatiotemporal approach to investigate cell plasticity and developmental responses that contribute to plant resilience. Although there are hurdles to overcome, we conclude by discussing how single-cell genomics is poised to address developmental questions in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor M Nolan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Rachel Shahan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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5
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Sha Y, Qiu Y, Zhou P, Nie Q. Reconstructing growth and dynamic trajectories from single-cell transcriptomics data. NAT MACH INTELL 2023; 6:25-39. [PMID: 38274364 PMCID: PMC10805654 DOI: 10.1038/s42256-023-00763-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Time-series single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets provide unprecedented opportunities to learn dynamic processes of cellular systems. Due to the destructive nature of sequencing, it remains challenging to link the scRNA-seq snapshots sampled at different time points. Here we present TIGON, a dynamic, unbalanced optimal transport algorithm that reconstructs dynamic trajectories and population growth simultaneously as well as the underlying gene regulatory network from multiple snapshots. To tackle the high-dimensional optimal transport problem, we introduce a deep learning method using a dimensionless formulation based on the Wasserstein-Fisher-Rao (WFR) distance. TIGON is evaluated on simulated data and compared with existing methods for its robustness and accuracy in predicting cell state transition and cell population growth. Using three scRNA-seq datasets, we show the importance of growth in the temporal inference, TIGON's capability in reconstructing gene expression at unmeasured time points and its applications to temporal gene regulatory networks and cell-cell communication inference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Sha
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Yuchi Qiu
- Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI USA
| | - Peijie Zhou
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Qing Nie
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA USA
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA USA
- The NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA USA
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6
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Bunne C, Stark SG, Gut G, Del Castillo JS, Levesque M, Lehmann KV, Pelkmans L, Krause A, Rätsch G. Learning single-cell perturbation responses using neural optimal transport. Nat Methods 2023; 20:1759-1768. [PMID: 37770709 PMCID: PMC10630137 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-01969-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and predicting molecular responses in single cells upon chemical, genetic or mechanical perturbations is a core question in biology. Obtaining single-cell measurements typically requires the cells to be destroyed. This makes learning heterogeneous perturbation responses challenging as we only observe unpaired distributions of perturbed or non-perturbed cells. Here we leverage the theory of optimal transport and the recent advent of input convex neural architectures to present CellOT, a framework for learning the response of individual cells to a given perturbation by mapping these unpaired distributions. CellOT outperforms current methods at predicting single-cell drug responses, as profiled by scRNA-seq and a multiplexed protein-imaging technology. Further, we illustrate that CellOT generalizes well on unseen settings by (1) predicting the scRNA-seq responses of holdout patients with lupus exposed to interferon-β and patients with glioblastoma to panobinostat; (2) inferring lipopolysaccharide responses across different species; and (3) modeling the hematopoietic developmental trajectories of different subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Bunne
- Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- AI Center, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan G Stark
- Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- AI Center, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Medical Informatics Unit, University of Zurich Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Gut
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Mitch Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zurich Hospital, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kjong-Van Lehmann
- Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Cancer Research Center Cologne-Essen, Site: Center Integrated Oncology Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Lucas Pelkmans
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Andreas Krause
- Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- AI Center, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Gunnar Rätsch
- Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- AI Center, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Medical Informatics Unit, University of Zurich Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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7
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Nolan TM, Vukašinović N, Hsu CW, Zhang J, Vanhoutte I, Shahan R, Taylor IW, Greenstreet L, Heitz M, Afanassiev A, Wang P, Szekely P, Brosnan A, Yin Y, Schiebinger G, Ohler U, Russinova E, Benfey PN. Brassinosteroid gene regulatory networks at cellular resolution in the Arabidopsis root. Science 2023; 379:eadf4721. [PMID: 36996230 PMCID: PMC10119888 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf4721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
Brassinosteroids are plant steroid hormones that regulate diverse processes, such as cell division and cell elongation, through gene regulatory networks that vary in space and time. By using time series single-cell RNA sequencing to profile brassinosteroid-responsive gene expression specific to different cell types and developmental stages of the Arabidopsis root, we identified the elongating cortex as a site where brassinosteroids trigger a shift from proliferation to elongation associated with increased expression of cell wall-related genes. Our analysis revealed HOMEOBOX FROM ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 7 (HAT7) and GT-2-LIKE 1 (GTL1) as brassinosteroid-responsive transcription factors that regulate cortex cell elongation. These results establish the cortex as a site of brassinosteroid-mediated growth and unveil a brassinosteroid signaling network regulating the transition from proliferation to elongation, which illuminates aspects of spatiotemporal hormone responses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nemanja Vukašinović
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Che-Wei Hsu
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Isabelle Vanhoutte
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rachel Shahan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Laura Greenstreet
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Matthieu Heitz
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anton Afanassiev
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Pablo Szekely
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Aiden Brosnan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yanhai Yin
- Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Geoffrey Schiebinger
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Uwe Ohler
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Humboldt Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eugenia Russinova
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Philip N Benfey
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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8
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Gorin G, Fang M, Chari T, Pachter L. RNA velocity unraveled. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010492. [PMID: 36094956 PMCID: PMC9499228 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We perform a thorough analysis of RNA velocity methods, with a view towards understanding the suitability of the various assumptions underlying popular implementations. In addition to providing a self-contained exposition of the underlying mathematics, we undertake simulations and perform controlled experiments on biological datasets to assess workflow sensitivity to parameter choices and underlying biology. Finally, we argue for a more rigorous approach to RNA velocity, and present a framework for Markovian analysis that points to directions for improvement and mitigation of current problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady Gorin
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Meichen Fang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Tara Chari
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Lior Pachter
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
- Department of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
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9
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Shahan R, Hsu CW, Nolan TM, Cole BJ, Taylor IW, Greenstreet L, Zhang S, Afanassiev A, Vlot AHC, Schiebinger G, Benfey PN, Ohler U. A single-cell Arabidopsis root atlas reveals developmental trajectories in wild-type and cell identity mutants. Dev Cell 2022; 57:543-560.e9. [PMID: 35134336 DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.29.178863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In all multicellular organisms, transcriptional networks orchestrate organ development. The Arabidopsis root, with its simple structure and indeterminate growth, is an ideal model for investigating the spatiotemporal transcriptional signatures underlying developmental trajectories. To map gene expression dynamics across root cell types and developmental time, we built a comprehensive, organ-scale atlas at single-cell resolution. In addition to estimating developmental progressions in pseudotime, we employed the mathematical concept of optimal transport to infer developmental trajectories and identify their underlying regulators. To demonstrate the utility of the atlas to interpret new datasets, we profiled mutants for two key transcriptional regulators at single-cell resolution, shortroot and scarecrow. We report transcriptomic and in vivo evidence for tissue trans-differentiation underlying a mixed cell identity phenotype in scarecrow. Our results support the atlas as a rich community resource for unraveling the transcriptional programs that specify and maintain cell identity to regulate spatiotemporal organ development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Shahan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Che-Wei Hsu
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Trevor M Nolan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Benjamin J Cole
- Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA 94598, USA
| | - Isaiah W Taylor
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Laura Greenstreet
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Stephen Zhang
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Anton Afanassiev
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Anna Hendrika Cornelia Vlot
- The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 10115 Berlin, Germany; Department of Computer Science, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Geoffrey Schiebinger
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Philip N Benfey
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Uwe Ohler
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 10115 Berlin, Germany; Department of Computer Science, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
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10
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Shahan R, Hsu CW, Nolan TM, Cole BJ, Taylor IW, Greenstreet L, Zhang S, Afanassiev A, Vlot AHC, Schiebinger G, Benfey PN, Ohler U. A single-cell Arabidopsis root atlas reveals developmental trajectories in wild-type and cell identity mutants. Dev Cell 2022; 57:543-560.e9. [PMID: 35134336 PMCID: PMC9014886 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In all multicellular organisms, transcriptional networks orchestrate organ development. The Arabidopsis root, with its simple structure and indeterminate growth, is an ideal model for investigating the spatiotemporal transcriptional signatures underlying developmental trajectories. To map gene expression dynamics across root cell types and developmental time, we built a comprehensive, organ-scale atlas at single-cell resolution. In addition to estimating developmental progressions in pseudotime, we employed the mathematical concept of optimal transport to infer developmental trajectories and identify their underlying regulators. To demonstrate the utility of the atlas to interpret new datasets, we profiled mutants for two key transcriptional regulators at single-cell resolution, shortroot and scarecrow. We report transcriptomic and in vivo evidence for tissue trans-differentiation underlying a mixed cell identity phenotype in scarecrow. Our results support the atlas as a rich community resource for unraveling the transcriptional programs that specify and maintain cell identity to regulate spatiotemporal organ development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Shahan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Che-Wei Hsu
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Trevor M Nolan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Benjamin J Cole
- Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA 94598, USA
| | - Isaiah W Taylor
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Laura Greenstreet
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Stephen Zhang
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Anton Afanassiev
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Anna Hendrika Cornelia Vlot
- The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 10115 Berlin, Germany; Department of Computer Science, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Geoffrey Schiebinger
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Philip N Benfey
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Uwe Ohler
- Department of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 10115 Berlin, Germany; Department of Computer Science, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
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