Single cell transcriptional profile of third instar larval wing discs in Drosophila. Single cell transcriptional profile of third instar larval wing discs in Drosophila

Our study focuses on understanding the early transcriptional changes taking place during the divergence of the adult muscle precursors that give rise to indirect flight muscles and direct flight muscles in Drosophila. We analyzed the heterogenous cell population of the adult muscle precursors by scRNA-seq and build an integrated single-cell reference atlas. We addressed the differences among muscle-type and different cell state during myoblast differentiation. Also, our dataset includes the transcriptional profile of the epithelial cells localized in the presumptive hinge and notum of third instar larval wing discs. In addition we studied the functional relevance of Amalgam in flight muscle development by depleting Ama expression specifically in the adult muscle precursors. We determined the transcriptional changes and perturbations in AMP cell identity upon Ama knockdown.