Integrated single-cell transcriptomics and spatial metabolomics unveil cellular differentiation and ginsenosides biosynthesis in <i>Panax</i> root tips.

ABSTRACT: Root tips, which represent the initial stage of taproot development, serve as an ideal model for investigating plant growth and secondary metabolism. However, studies of root tips in Panax species have been limited, restricting our understanding of cell fate transitions during early root development and the cellular heterogeneity associated with ginsenosides biosynthesis. To address this gap, we conducted single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial metabolomics analyses on the root tips of three Panax species: Panax notoginseng, Panax ginseng, and Panax quinquefolium. Our research reconstructed the developmental trajectory of the early endodermis and revealed epidermis-specific expression patterns of key enzyme genes involved in ginsenosides biosyn

SUBMITTER: Yang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12574545 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature