Global Dynamic Molecular Profiles of Stomatal Lineage Cell Development by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

The regulation of stomatal lineage cell development has been extensively investigated. However a comprehensive characterization of this biological process based on single-cell transcriptome analysis has not yet been reported. Here, we performed RNA-seq on 12,844 individual cells from the cotyledons of five-day-old Arabidopsis seedlings. We identified 11 cell clusters corresponding mostly to cells at specific stomatal developmental stages with a series of marker genes. Comparative analysis of genes with the highest variable expression in these cell clusters revealed transcriptional networks that regulate the development from meristemoid mother cells to guard mother cells. Examination of the developmental dynamics of marker genes via pseudo-time analysis revealed potential interactions between them. Our study opens the door for understanding how the identified novel marker genes participate in the regulation of stomatal lineage cell development.