RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Fate plasticity and reprogramming in genetically distinct populations of Danio leucophores JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 526475 DO 10.1101/526475 A1 Victor Lewis A1 Lauren Saunders A1 Tracy A Larson A1 Emily Bain A1 Samantha Sturiale A1 Dvir Gur A1 Sarwat Chowdhury A1 Jessica Flynn A1 Michael Allen A1 Dimitri Deheyn A1 Jennifer Lee A1 Julian Simon A1 Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz A1 David Raible A1 David Parichy YR 2019 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/01/22/526475.abstract AB Understanding genetic and cellular bases of adult form remains a fundamental goal at the intersection of developmental and evolutionary biology. The skin pigment cells of vertebrates, derived from embryonic neural crest, are a useful system for elucidating mechanisms of fate specification, pattern formation, and how particular phenotypes impact organismal behavior and ecology. In a survey of Danio fishes, including zebrafish Danio rerio, we identified two populations of white pigment cells--leucophores--one of which arises by transdifferentiation of adult melanophores and another that develops from a yellow/orange xanthophore-like progenitor. Single-cell transcriptomic, mutational, chemical and ultrastructural analyses of zebrafish leucophores revealed cell-type specific chemical compositions, organelle configurations and genetic requirements. At the organismal level, we identified distinct physiological responses of leucophores during environmental background matching and we show that leucophore complement influences behavior. Together, our studies revealed new, independently arisen pigment cell types and mechanisms of fate acquisition in zebrafish, and illustrate how concerted analyses across hierarchical levels can provide insights into phenotypes and their evolution.