% pubman genre = article
@article{item_3373678,
title = {{Spatial transcriptomic and single-nucleus analysis reveals heterogeneity in a gigantic single-celled syncytium}},
author = {Gerber, Tobias and Loureiro, Cristina and Schramma, Nico and Chen, Siyu and Jain, Akanksha and Weber, Anne and Weigert, Anne and Santel, Malgorzata and Alim, Karen and Treutlein, Barbara and Camp, J. Gray},
language = {eng},
issn = {2050-084X},
doi = {10.7554/eLife.69745},
publisher = {eLife Sciences Publications},
address = {Cambridge},
year = {2022},
abstract = {{In multicellular organisms, the specification, coordination, and compartmentalization{\textless}br{\textgreater}of cell types enable the formation of complex body plans. However, some eukaryotic protists such{\textless}br{\textgreater}as slime molds generate diverse and complex structures while remaining in a multinucleate syncytial{\textless}br{\textgreater}state. It is unknown if different regions of these giant syncytial cells have distinct transcriptional{\textless}br{\textgreater}responses to environmental encounters and if nuclei within the cell diversify into heterogeneous{\textless}br{\textgreater}states. Here, we performed spatial transcriptome analysis of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum{\textless}br{\textgreater}in the plasmodium state under different environmental conditions and used single-nucleus{\textless}br{\textgreater}RNA-sequencing{\textless}br{\textgreater}to dissect gene expression heterogeneity among nuclei. Our data identifies transcriptome{\textless}br{\textgreater}regionality in the organism that associates with proliferation, syncytial substructures,{\textless}br{\textgreater}and localized environmental conditions. Further, we find that nuclei are heterogenous in their transcriptional{\textless}br{\textgreater}profile and may process local signals within the plasmodium to coordinate cell growth,{\textless}br{\textgreater}metabolism, and reproduction. To understand how nuclei variation within the syncytium compares{\textless}br{\textgreater}to heterogeneity in single-nucleus{\textless}br{\textgreater}cells, we analyzed states in single Physarum amoebal cells. We{\textless}br{\textgreater}observed amoebal cell states at different stages of mitosis and meiosis, and identified cytokinetic{\textless}br{\textgreater}features that are specific to nuclei divisions within the syncytium. Notably, we do not find evidence{\textless}br{\textgreater}for predefined transcriptomic states in the amoebae that are observed in the syncytium. Our data{\textless}br{\textgreater}shows that a single-celled{\textless}br{\textgreater}slime mold can control its gene expression in a region-specific{\textless}br{\textgreater}manner{\textless}br{\textgreater}while lacking cellular compartmentalization and suggests that nuclei are mobile processors facilitating{\textless}br{\textgreater}local specialized functions. More broadly, slime molds offer the extraordinary opportunity{\textless}br{\textgreater}to explore how organisms can evolve regulatory mechanisms to divide labor, specialize, balance{\textless}br{\textgreater}competition with cooperation, and perform other foundational principles that govern the logic of{\textless}br{\textgreater}life.}},
journal = {{eLife}},
volume = {11},
eid = {e69745},
}