Xu Qin-Zeng, Li Yi-Xuan, Shi Wen-Ge, Dong Yue, Li Zhong, Ip Jack Chi-Ho, Galaska Matthew P, Han Chen, Zhang Qian, Sun Yu-Yao, Zhao Lin-Lin, Sun Kai-Ming, Wang Zong-Ling, Qiu Jian-Wen, Zhang Xue-Lei
MNR Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, PR China.
Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, PR China.
Genome Biol. 2025 Mar 31;26(1):82. doi: 10.1186/s13059-025-03542-5.
Ophiuroids, belonging to Ophiuroidea in Echinodermata, possess remarkable regenerative capacities in their arms, relying on cellular recruitment and de-differentiation. However, limited high-quality genomic resources have hindered the investigation of the underlying molecular mechanisms of ophiuroid regeneration.
Here, we report a chromosome-level genome of Ophiura sarsii vadicola, 259.28 Mbp in length with a scaffold N50 length of 66.91 Mbp. We then perform bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis to investigate gene expression and cellular dynamics during arm regeneration. We identify five distinct cellular clusters involved in the arm regeneration and infer the dynamic transformations from sensory stimulation to injury response, wound healing, and tissue regeneration. We find that progenitor cells derived from connective tissue cells differentiate into muscle, cartilage, endothelial, and epithelial cells. Pseudotime analysis indicates that muscle differentiation occurs early in the regeneration process.
Our genomic resource and single-cell atlas shed light on the mechanisms of organ regeneration in ophiuroids.
蛇尾纲动物属于棘皮动物门的蛇尾纲，其腕部具有显著的再生能力，依赖于细胞募集和去分化。然而，有限的高质量基因组资源阻碍了对蛇尾纲动物再生潜在分子机制的研究。
在此，我们报告了萨氏真蛇尾的染色体水平基因组，长度为259.28 Mbp，支架N50长度为66.91 Mbp。然后，我们进行了批量和单细胞RNA测序分析，以研究腕部再生过程中的基因表达和细胞动态。我们确定了参与腕部再生的五个不同细胞簇，并推断了从感觉刺激到损伤反应、伤口愈合和组织再生的动态转变。我们发现源自结缔组织细胞的祖细胞分化为肌肉、软骨、内皮和上皮细胞。伪时间分析表明，肌肉分化在再生过程中早期发生。
我们的基因组资源和单细胞图谱揭示了蛇尾纲动物器官再生的机制。
