Single-cell characterization of transcriptomic heterogeneity in lymphoblastoid cell lines

We report single-cell RNA sequencing datasets for three lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) prepared by infection of primary B cells with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). Inter- and intra-sample transcriptional variance is observed with respect to immunoglobulin heavy chain class; host gene sets involved in survival, proliferation and differentiation; and viral replication state. We propose that the observed heterogeneity arises from the dynamic nature of host-pathogen interactions, donor-specific compositions of primary B cells, and other experimental factors such as stochastic clonal evolution in cell culture conditions. Overall design: Characterization of three different lymphoblastoid cell lines. Two samples (LCL_777_B958 and LCL_777_M81) were derived from the same donor and infected with different EBV strains (B95-8 and M81). A third sample (LCL_461_B958) was derived from a different donor and infected with B95-8.