SUMMARY
How chromatin dictates cell differentiation is an intriguing question in developmental biology. Here, a reporter gene integrated throughout the genome was used as a sensor to map the chromatin activity landscape in lineage-resolved cells during C. elegans embryogenesis. Single-cell analysis of chromatin dynamics across critical dimensions of cell differentiation was performed, including lineage, tissue, and symmetry. During lineage progression, chromatin gradually diversifies in general and exhibits switch-like changes following specific cell division, which is predictive of anterior-posterior fate asymmetry. Upon tissue differentiation, chromatin of cells from distinct lineages converge to tissue-specific states but retain “memory” of each cell’s lineage history, which contributes to intra-tissue heterogeneity. However, cells with a morphologically left-right symmetric organization utilize a predetermination chromatin strategy to program analogous regulatory states in early progenitor cells. Additionally, chromatin co-regulation drives the functional coordination of the genome. Collectively, this work reveals the role of multidimensional chromatin regulation in cell differentiation.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.