Search for: All records

Abstract Many annelids can regenerate missing body parts or reproduce asexually, generating all cell types in adult stages. However, the putative adult stem cell populations involved in these processes, and the diversity of cell types generated by them, are still unknown. To address this, we recover 75,218 single cell transcriptomes of the highly regenerative and asexually-reproducing annelidPristina leidyi. Our results uncover a rich cell type diversity including annelid specific types as well as novel types. Moreover, we characterise transcription factors and gene networks that are expressed specifically in these populations. Finally, we uncover a broadly abundant cluster of putative stem cells with a pluripotent signature. This population expresses well-known stem cell markers such asvasa,piwiandnanoshomologues, but also shows heterogeneous expression of differentiated cell markers and their transcription factors. We find conserved expression of pluripotency regulators, including multiple chromatin remodelling and epigenetic factors, inpiwi+cells. Finally, lineage reconstruction analyses reveal computational differentiation trajectories frompiwi+cells to diverse adult types. Our data reveal the cell type diversity of adult annelids by single cell transcriptomics and suggest that apiwi+ cell population with a pluripotent stem cell signature is associated with adult cell type differentiation.