Tissue-wide scRNA-seq analysis reveals enrichment of imprinted genes in stem and endocrine cell-types in mice

Abstract

Enriched expression of imprinted genes may provide evidence of convergent function. Here we interrogated five single-cell RNA sequencing datasets to identify imprinted gene over-representation in the embryonic and adult mouse focusing on tissues including the bladder, pancreas, mammary gland and muscle. We identify a consistent enrichment of imprinted genes in stromal cell and mesenchymal stem cell populations across these tissues, suggesting a role in tissue maintenance. Furthermore, we identify a distinct enrichment in the endocrine islets of the mouse pancreas, over and above the stromal/stem cells from this tissue. Taken together with our previous work examining imprinted gene expression in cell subpopulations of the adult mouse brain and pituitary gland, these data suggest that genomic imprinting influences physiology largely via separate systems of cell populations either involved in hormonal signalling or in stemness and cell-fate co-ordination.