Organogenetic transcriptomes of the Drosophila embryo at single cell resolution

Abstract

To gain insight into the transcription programs activated during the formation of Drosophila larval structures, we carried out single cell RNA sequencing during two periods of Drosophila embryogenesis: stages 10 – 12, when most organs are first specified and initiate morphological and physiological specialization, and stages 13 – 16, when organs achieve their final mature architectures and begin to function. Our data confirm previous findings with regards to functional specialization of some organs – the salivary gland and trachea – and clarify the embryonic functions of another – the plasmatocytes. We also identify two early developmental trajectories in germ cells and uncover a potential role for proteolysis during germline stem cell specialization. We identify the likely cell type of origin for key components of the Drosophila matrisome and several commonly used Drosophila embryonic cell culture lines. Finally, we compare our findings to other recent related studies and to other modalities for identifying tissue-specific gene expression patterns. These data provide a useful community resource for identifying many new players in tissue-specific morphogenesis and functional specialization of developing organs.