The Hydractinia cell atlas reveals cellular and molecular principles of cnidarian coloniality.

ABSTRACT: Coloniality is a widespread growth form in cnidarians, tunicates, and bryozoans, among others. Colonies function as single physiological units despite their modular structure of zooids and supporting tissues. A key question is how structurally and functionally distinct colony parts are generated. In the cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus, colonies consist of zooids (polyps) interconnected by stolons attached to the substrate. Using single-cell transcriptomics, we profiled ~200,000 Hydractinia cells, including stolons and two polyp types, identifying major cell types and their distribution across colony parts. Distinct colony parts are primarily characterised by unique combinations of shared cell types and to a lesser extent by part-specific cell types. We identified cell type-specific

SUBMITTER: Salamanca-Diaz DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11876637 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature