Cited by 578Pluripotent Stem Cells ResearchSingle-cell and spatial transcriptomicsDevelopmental Biology and Gene Regulation

Single Cell RNA-Sequencing of Pluripotent States Unlocks Modular Transcriptional Variation

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Kolodziejczyk, Aleksandra A., Kim, Jong Kyoung, Tsang, Jason C.H., Ilicic, Tomislav, Henriksson, Johan, Natarajan, Kedar N., Tuck, Alex C., Gao, Xuefei +4 more·2015·Cell Stem Cell

Abstract

Embryonic stem cell (ESC) culture conditions are important for maintaining long-term self-renewal, and they influence cellular pluripotency state. Here, we report single cell RNA-sequencing of mESCs cultured in three different conditions: serum, 2i, and the alternative ground state a2i. We find that the cellular transcriptomes of cells grown in these conditions are distinct, with 2i being the most similar to blastocyst cells and including a subpopulation resembling the two-cell embryo state. Overall levels of intercellular gene expression heterogeneity are comparable across the three conditions. However, this masks variable expression of pluripotency genes in serum cells and homogeneous expression in 2i and a2i cells. Additionally, genes related to the cell cycle are more variably expressed in the 2i and a2i conditions. Mining of our dataset for correlations in gene expression allowed us to identify additional components of the pluripotency network, including Ptma and Zfp640, illustrating its value as a resource for future discovery.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.stem.2015.09.011

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  • The computed measure of gene expression noise is independent of RNA abundance across individuals.

    “We computed a measure of gene expression noise that is independent of RNA abundance across individuals4647.”
  • Specific functional groups of genes were more or less variable in each mESC culture condition.

    “Although global levels of gene expression variability were equivalent between environments, specific functional groups of genes were more or less variable in each condition.”

    From Using single-cell genomics to understand developmental processes and cell fate decisions (2018) · cites this paper as Kołodziejczyk et al, 2015

  • In mESCs, global levels of gene expression variability were equivalent between serum+LIF and 2i environments.

    “Although global levels of gene expression variability were equivalent between environments, specific functional groups of genes were more or less variable in each condition.”

    From Using single-cell genomics to understand developmental processes and cell fate decisions (2018) · cites this paper as Kołodziejczyk et al, 2015

  • 2i-treated cells showed greater variability in the expression of cell-cycle genes.

    “Gene ontology terms such as “organ development” were more variably expressed in the serum condition, where differentiation is less repressed, while 2i‐treated cells showed greater variability in the expression of cell‐cycle genes.”

    From Using single-cell genomics to understand developmental processes and cell fate decisions (2018) · cites this paper as Kołodziejczyk et al, 2015

  • Gene ontology terms such as 'organ development' were more variably expressed in the serum condition, where differentiation is less repressed.

    “Gene ontology terms such as “organ development” were more variably expressed in the serum condition, where differentiation is less repressed, while 2i‐treated cells showed greater variability in the expression of cell‐cycle genes.”

    From Using single-cell genomics to understand developmental processes and cell fate decisions (2018) · cites this paper as Kołodziejczyk et al, 2015

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Authors
Kolodziejczyk, A. A., Kim, J. K., Tsang, J. C. H., Ilicic, T., Henriksson, J., Natarajan, K. N., Tuck, A. C., Gao, X., Bühler, M., Liu, P., Marioni, J. C., & Teichmann, S. A.
Affiliations
  • European Bioinformatics Institute (GB)
  • Wellcome Sanger Institute (GB)
  • Friedrich Miescher Institute (CH)
Corresponding author
  • Marioni, John C.
  • Teichmann, Sarah A.
Venue
Cell Stem Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-10
Volume
17
Issue
4
Pages
471-485
ISSN
  • 1875-9777 (ISSN-L)
  • 1934-5909
OpenAlex
W2111882541
Cited by
570
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 66 · 2022: 57 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 63 · 2019: 76 · 2018: 51 · 2017: 60 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 4
FWCI
20.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell stem cell (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (103977/Z/14/Z, 103977)
  • Cancer Research UK (22231)
  • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (1300642)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Pluripotent Stem Cells Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
Keywords
embryonic stem cells, pluripotency, transcriptome heterogeneity, pluripotency gene expression, cell cycle genes, prothymosin alpha, pluripotency network, self-renewal
MeSH terms
Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells, Animals, Cell Differentiation, Cells, Cultured, Repressor Proteins, RNA, Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3, MAP Kinase Kinase 1, Mice, Single-Cell Analysis, Transcriptome

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