Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies a unique set of cells that give rise to a diverse bone found in the mammalian penis
Authors: Caleb Ghione; Matthew Dean
Affiliation: University of Southern California
Keywords: Other (Evolutionary Development)
The baculum, a bone found in the penis of many mammals, has been gained and lost multiple times and is morphologically diverse across species. Do independent derivations occur via switching on of conserved bone developmental pathways, or through novel pathways? To begin answering this question, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to identify the precursors of the baculum and characterize their patterns of gene expression. By integrating our data with existing literature, we show that these precursors are very similar to forelimb precursors. We conclude that independently derived bacula are probably deploying conserved bone developmental programs. Our work sheds light on the evolution of morphological novelty.