我国科研人员破译动物发育动态调控的“时空密码”

Core Insights - The collaboration between Hangzhou BGI Life Sciences Research Institute and Southern University of Science and Technology has resulted in the creation of a multimodal dataset that decodes the developmental process of animals, specifically generating a 3D single-cell spatiotemporal multi-omics atlas of the entire developmental cycle of fruit flies [1][2] - The research findings were published in the international academic journal "Cell," highlighting the molecular-level references for biological development and the potential foundation for studying developmental defects and related disease mechanisms [1][2] Group 1 - The research team utilized BGI's proprietary technology to sample fruit fly embryos at critical stages every 0.5 to 2 hours, generating over 3.8 million spatially resolved single-cell transcriptomes [2] - The "Spateo" algorithm was employed to reconstruct a high-precision 3D model, allowing for the precise analysis of spatial dynamics in tissue morphology and gene expression [2] - The study constructed a "differentiation trajectory map" of fruit fly embryonic development, elucidating key molecular mechanisms that determine cell fate [2] Group 2 - The research identified that different embryonic layer cells differentiate along specific pathways, with transcription factors acting as "directors" to activate or inhibit genes, guiding cells to perform specific roles [2] - Multiple previously unidentified transcription factors were found to potentially play critical roles in the nervous, intestinal, and endocrine systems [2] - Understanding the developmental processes and gene regulatory mechanisms in fruit flies, which share approximately 70% of disease-related genes with humans, can aid in exploring significant scientific questions related to life development and provide references for research in human developmental diseases [2]