A cis-regulatory atlas of maize single cells

Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) encode the genomic blueprints for coordinating the spatiotemporal regulation of gene transcription programs necessary for highly specialized cellular functions. To identify cis-regulatory elements underlying cell-type specification and developmental transitions, we implemented single-cell sequencing of Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin (scATAC-seq) in an atlas of Zea mays tissues and organs. We describe 92 distinct patterns of chromatin accessibility across more than 165,913 putative CREs, greater than 56,575 cells, and 52 known cell-types using a novel regularized quasibinomial logistic model for estimating single cell accessibility. Cell-type specification could be largely explained by combinatorial accessibility of transcription factors (TFs) and their associated binding. Analysis of cell type-specific co-accessible chromatin recapitulated higher-order chromatin interactions, providing novel insight into cell type-specific regulatory dynamics. Integration of genetic diversity data revealed cell-type specific CREs contributed to specific morphological and molecular phenotypic traits indicative of their cellular functions, expanding our understanding of the molecular influence of complex traits in a eukaryotic species. All samples were integrated into a single all vs. all analysis. Several organs (leaf, axillary buds, embyonic roots, crown roots) were profiled with biological replicates.