A5015823264- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Planarian Biology and Electrostimulation
- Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
- 3D Printing in Biomedical Research
- Spider Taxonomy and Behavior Studies
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Plant and Biological Electrophysiology Studies
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Neonatal Respiratory Health Research
- Infectious Diseases and Mycology
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- bioluminescence and chemiluminescence research
Oxford Brookes University
2020-2025
University of Exeter
2024-2025
Many annelids can regenerate missing body parts or reproduce asexually, generating all cell types in adult stages. However, the putative stem populations involved these processes, and diversity of generated by them, are still unknown. To address this, we recover 75,218 single transcriptomes highly regenerative asexually-reproducing annelid Pristina leidyi. Our results uncover a rich type including specific as well novel types. Moreover, characterise transcription factors gene networks that...
Abstract Single-cell sequencing technologies are revolutionizing biology, but they limited by the need to dissociate live samples. Here, we present ACME (ACetic-MEthanol), a dissociation approach for single-cell transcriptomics that simultaneously fixes cells. ACME-dissociated cells have high RNA integrity, can be cryopreserved multiple times, and sortable permeable. As proof of principle, provide transcriptomic data different species, using both droplet-based combinatorial barcoding...
Abstract Spiders are a diverse order of chelicerates that diverged from other arthropods over 500 million years ago. Research on spider embryogenesis, particularly studies using the common house Parasteatoda tepidariorum , has made important contributions to understanding evolution animal development, including axis formation, segmentation, and patterning. However, we lack knowledge about cells build embryos, their gene expression profiles fate. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses have been...
Abstract Coloniality is a widespread growth form in cnidarians, tunicates, and bryozoans, among others. Colonies function as single physiological units despite their modular structure of zooids supporting tissues. A key question how structurally functionally distinct colony parts are generated. In the cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus , colonies consist (polyps) interconnected by stolons attached to substrate. Using single-cell transcriptomics, we profiled ~200,000 cells, including two...
Abstract Annelids are a broadly distributed, highly diverse, economically and environmentally important group of animals. Most species can regenerate missing body parts, many able to reproduce asexually. Therefore, annelids generate all adult cell types in stages. However, the putative stem populations involved these processes, as well diversity generated by them, still unknown. Here, we recover 75,218 single transcriptomes Pristina leidyi , regenerative asexually-reproducing freshwater...
Abstract Neurons function by interacting with each other and cell types, often exerting organism-wide regulation. Serotonergic neurons play a systemic role in processes such as appetite, sleep motor control. Functional studies the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea have shown that impairment of serotonergic results effects. Studying tissues they interact is challenging using either bulk or single-cell analysis techniques. While methods merge information from all show promise overcoming this...
Abstract Coloniality is a widespread growth form in cnidarians, tunicates, and bryozoans, among others. Despite being modular, composed of multiple zooids supporting tissues, colonies function as single physiological unit. A major question the biology cellular mechanism generating structurally functionally distinct colony parts. The cnidarian Hydractinia establishes with different types (polyps), interconnected by gastrovascular system that attached to substrate known stolons. We obtained...
Abstract Spiders are a diverse order of chelicerates that diverged from other arthropods over 500 million years ago. Research on spider embryogenesis, particular studies using the common house Parasteatoda tepidariorum , has made important contributions to understanding evolution animal development, including axis formation, segmentation, and patterning. However, we lack knowledge about cells build embryos, their gene expression profiles fate. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses have been...
Abstract Single-cell sequencing technologies are revolutionizing biology, but limited by the need to dissociate fresh samples that can only be fixed at later stages. We present ACME ( AC etic- ME thanol) dissociation, a cell dissociation approach fixes cells as they being dissociated. ACME-dissociated have high RNA integrity, cryopreserved multiple times, sorted Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) and permeable, enabling combinatorial single-cell transcriptomic approaches. As proof of...
Abstract Cell type identity is determined by gene regulatory networks (GRNs), comprising the expression of specific transcription factors (TFs) regulating target genes (TGs) via binding to open chromatin regions (OCRs). The logic differentiation includes one or multiple cell types, functioning in a combinatorial fashion. Classic approaches GRN discovery used perturbational data elucidate TF-TG links, but are laborious and not scalable across tree life. Single transcriptomics has emerged as...