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Single-Cell Transcriptome and Network Analyses Unveil Key Transcription Factors Regulating Mesophyll Cell Development in Maize.

ABSTRACT: Maize mesophyll (M) cells play important roles in various biological processes such as photosynthesis II and secondary metabolism. Functional differentiation occurs during M-cell development, but the underlying mechanisms for regulating M-cell development are largely unknown. We conducted single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to profile transcripts in maize leaves. We then identified coregulated modules by analyzing the resulting pseudo-time-series data through gene regulatory network analyses. WRKY, ERF, NAC, MYB and Heat stress transcription factor (HSF) families were highly expressed in the early stage, whereas CONSTANS (CO)-like (COL) and ERF families were highly expressed in the late stage of M-cell development. Construction of regulatory networks revealed that these transcript factor (TF) families, especially HSF and COL, were the major players in the early and later stages of M-cell development, respectively. Integration of scRNA expression matrix with TF ChIP-seq and Hi-C further revealed regulatory interactions between these TFs and their targets. HSF1 and COL8 were primarily expressed in the leaf bases and tips, respectively, and their targets were validated with protoplast-based ChIP-qPCR, with the binding sites of HSF1 being experimentally confirmed. Our study provides evidence that several TF families, with the involvement of epigenetic regulation, play vital roles in the regulation of M-cell development in maize.

SUBMITTER: Tao S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8872562 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Single-Cell Transcriptome and Network Analyses Unveil Key Transcription Factors Regulating Mesophyll Cell Development in Maize.

Tao Shentong S Liu Peng P Shi Yining Y Feng Yilong Y Gao Jingjing J Chen Lifen L Zhang Aicen A Cheng Xuejiao X Wei Hairong H Zhang Tao T Zhang Wenli W

Genes 20220220 2

<h4>Background</h4>Maize mesophyll (M) cells play important roles in various biological processes such as photosynthesis II and secondary metabolism. Functional differentiation occurs during M-cell development, but the underlying mechanisms for regulating M-cell development are largely unknown.<h4>Results</h4>We conducted single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to profile transcripts in maize leaves. We then identified coregulated modules by analyzing the resulting pseudo-time-series data through ...[more]

PMID: 35205426

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Single-Cell Transcriptome and Network Analyses Unveil Key Transcription Factors Regulating Mesophyll Cell Development in Maize.

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Single-Cell Transcriptome and Network Analyses Unveil Key Transcription Factors Regulating Mesophyll Cell Development in Maize.

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