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New article in Development for Chubb Lab
A new research article in Development by the Chubb lab聽reveals that development can progress in 鈥渏umps鈥�, with sharp transitions between successive cell states聽induced by the emergence of collective signalling in the cell population.
Abstract:
Development can proceed in 鈥渇its and starts鈥�, with rapid transitions between cell states involving concerted transcriptome-wide changes in gene expression. However, it is not clear how these transitions are regulated in complex cell populations, in which cells receive multiple inputs. We address this issue using聽Dictyostelium聽cells undergoing development in their physiological niche. A continuous single cell transcriptomics time series identifies a sharp 鈥渏ump鈥� in global gene expression marking functionally different cell states. By simultaneously imaging the physiological dynamics of transcription and signalling, we show the jump coincides with the onset of collective oscillations of cAMP. Optogenetic control of cAMP pulses shows that different jump genes respond to distinct dynamic features of signalling. Late jump gene expression changes are almost completely dependent on cAMP, while transcript changes at the onset of the jump require additional input. The coupling of collective signalling with gene expression is a potentially powerful strategy to drive robust cell state transitions in heterogeneous signalling environments. Based on the context of the jump, we also conclude that sharp gene expression transitions may not be sufficient for commitment.
