Single Cell RNA Sequencing: An Emerging Tool in the Field of Plant Research

Abstract

Cells that appear phenotypically identical can exhibit significant differences in behavior throughout their lifespan. The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology represents a significant advancement in the exploration of RNA transcript heterogeneity and complexity at the individual cell level. High-throughput transcriptomics techniques, particularly single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), have revolutionized the examination of transcriptional activity in response to developmental and environmental stimuli. Currently, the application of single-cell gene expression analyses in plants remains limited. This limitation is largely attributed to the presence of the plant cell wall, which poses challenges for the separation and acquisition of individual cells. The current body of research on single-cell gene expression in plants has predominantly focused on a relatively small sample size. However, there is a growing acknowledgment of the significant advantages that large-scale single-cell transcriptome analyses could offer in the field of plant biology. Future directions include the integration of scRNA-seq with large-scale genetic screening to deepen insights into stress-response gene expression and the underlying molecular mechanisms in plants. For the present study genuine search engines including Google Scholar, PubMed, ResearchGate and other credible online resources were considered. The primary aim of this review is to inform future researchers about the potential of scRNA seq and the limitations of this technique in the field of plant research. Additionally, it encompasses recent studies on specific crop plants and their findings, which will be beneficial for future researchers to understand the prevailing trends in the field of plant biology.