Lamprey 3D single-cell transcriptomics reveals ancestral and specialized features of the vertebrate brain
Abstract
The lamprey occupies a pivotal position for elucidating vertebrate brain evolution. Using spatial transcriptomics and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, we generated a three-dimensional molecular atlas of the lamprey brain, identifying 209 distinct cell clusters across 14 regions. Cross-species comparisons revealed broad conservation of regional spatial architecture, defining an ancestral organizational blueprint. Within this conserved framework, however, marked lineage-specific divergence emerged. We observed extensive neuronal specialization across vertebrate lineages, accompanied by regulatory shifts associated with spatial reorganization and functional diversification of neuronal populations. Additionally, our results suggest that a cerebellum-like architecture predates the jawed vertebrate cerebellum. Together, these findings identified constraints on neural organization and detected cellular innovations driving evolutionary diversification.
Article Details
Journal Info
Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Authors (29)
Haixu Wu
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution and Animal Model, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
Duoyuan Chen
State Key Laboratory of Genome and Multi-omics Technologies, BGI Research, Hangzhou, China.
Jun Li
Tao Zhou
College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Zhenkun Zhuang
BGI Research, Hangzhou, China.
Zhiwei Niu
College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Zeyu Du
College of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.
Yongjie Chen
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution and Animal Model, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
Shunqin Chuan
College of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.
Chunyan Xu
Xun Liao
BGI Research, Shenzhen, China.
Xiaoyu Meng
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution and Animal Model, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
Jiali Lu
College of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.
Wenxue Cui
College of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.
Youning Lin
College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Fubaoqian Huang
College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Kuo Liao
College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Yan Liu
Tao Yang
Jing Chen
Hui Wang
Zhiqiang Dong
College of Biomedicine and Health, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Longqi Liu
Xiaodong Fang
BGI Research, Hangzhou, China.
Xun Xu
Qingwei Li
College of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.
Yue Pang
College of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.
Shiping Liu
BGI Research, Hangzhou, China.
Bing Su