Profiling the wild type (WT) and Rb mutant Drosophila eye disc using Drop-seq (single cell RNA-seq)

We characterized the Drosophila third instar eye disc using single cell RNA-seq and labelled the multiple cell populations. The results identified a novel transcriptional switch in photoreceptors relating to axonal projections. We then performed single cell RNA-seq on rbf (Rb) mutants and compared the results to the WT cell populations. This identified a specific cell population only in the Rb mutant tissue. This cell population has an upregulation of HIF1A and glycolitic genes such as Aldolase and Lactate dehydrogenase. As a result these cells produce lactate and undergo apoptosis. We also show this process to be directly regulated by E2F/Dp. The paper uncovers a novel metabolic aspect of Rb/E2F dependent apoptosis. examining WT and Rb mutants third instar eye disc using single cell RNA-seq