Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of flowering regulation and vernalization in Chinese cabbage shoot apex

作者：Yun Dai, Shi-fan Zhang, Shifan Zhang, Jiantao Guan, Shaoxing Wang, Hui Zhang, Guoliang Li, Rifei Sun, Fei Li, Shujiang Zhang, Shujiang Zhang · 发表于：Horticulture Research · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1093/hr/uhae214 · 被引用次数：16 · 研究领域：Plant Molecular Biology Research、Plant tissue culture and regeneration、Plant Pathogens and Resistance

Abstract In Chinese cabbage development the interplay between shoot apex activity and vernalization is pivotal for flowering timing. The intricate relationship between various cell types in the shoot apex meristem and their roles in regulating flowering gene expression in Chinese cabbage is not yet fully understood. A thorough analysis of single-cell types in the Chinese cabbage shoot apex and their influence on flowering genes and vernalization is essential for deeper insight. Our study first established a single-cell transcriptomic atlas of Chinese cabbage after 25 days of non-vernalization. Analyzing 19 602 single cells, we differentiated them into 15 distinct cell clusters using established marker genes. We found that key genes in shoot apex development and flowering were primarily present in shoot meristematic cells (SMCs), companion cells (CCs), and mesophyll cells (MCs). MADS-box protein FLOWERING LOCUS C 2 (BrFLC2), a gene suppressing flowering, was observed in CCs, mirroring patterns found in Arabidopsis. By mapping developmental trajectories of SMCs, CCs, and MCs, we elucidated the evolutionary pathways of crucial genes in shoot apex development and flowering. The creation of a single-cell transcriptional atlas of the Chinese cabbage shoot apex under vernalization revealed distinct alterations in the expression of known flowering genes, such as VERNALIZATION INSENSITIVE 3 (VIN3), VERNALIZATION 1 (VRN1), VERNALIZATION 2 (VRN2), BrFLC, and FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), whic...