The rise of single-cell transcriptomics in yeast

Abstract

The field of single-cell omics has transformed our understanding of biological processes and is constantly advancing both experimentally and computationally. One of the most significant developments is the ability to measure the transcriptome of individual cells by single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), which was pioneered in higher eukaryotes. While yeast has served as a powerful model organism in which to test and develop transcriptomic technologies, the implementation of scRNA-seq has been significantly delayed in this organism, mainly because of technical constraints associated with its intrinsic characteristics, namely the presence of a cell wall, a small cell size and little amounts of RNA. In this review, we examine the current technologies for scRNA-seq in yeast and highlight their strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, we explore opportunities for developing novel technologies and the potential outcomes of implementing single-cell transcriptomics and extension to other modalities. Undoubtedly, scRNA-seq will be invaluable for both basic and applied yeast research, providing unique insights into fundamental biological processes.

The laboratories of FP and EdeN are supported by a coordinated grant from the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities (PID2021-124723NB-C21/C22 and FEDER). We also gratefully acknowledge institutional funding from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the Centres of Excellence Severo Ochoa Award, and from the CERCA Programme of the Government of Catalonia and the Unidad de Excelencia María de Maeztu, funded by the AEI (CEX2018-000792-M).