A single-cell atlas of Drosophila trachea reveals glycosylation-mediated Notch signaling in cell fate specification
The Drosophila tracheal system emerges as a favorable model for investigating the program of tubular morphogenesis. It is established in the embryo by post-mitotic cells, which also undergoes remodeling by modulating stem cells. Here we provide an analysis of a comprehensive cell atlas of Drosophila trachea using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and reveal cellular diversity and transcriptional profiles of tracheoblasts in Drosophila airway, which encompasses 9 major subtypes. Further evidences reveal transcription factors that are able to switch cell fate. The transcription factors, Peb, Bs, Kni, Sal and Cut are influenced by Notch signaling and determine cell identity. Moreover, Notch signaling that is responsible for the differentiation of tracheoblasts responds to protein glycosylation that is induced upon high sugar diet. Therefore, our study provides a transcriptomic atlas of tracheal development and regeneration, and suggests a glycosylation-responsive Notch signaling in cell fate determination. Overall design: We performed scRNA-seq to catalog the cell types and identify the transcriptional profiles of tracheal cells that constitute Drosophila airway. The fly tracheal major branches as well as associated progenitors and terminal branches were dissected and collected from 50 white pupae fed by normal diet (ND) or high sugar diet (HSD). We performed RNA-seq to investigate the transcriptional profiles of tracheal progenitors. The tracheal progenitors were dissected and collected from white pupae.