Identification of Silkworm Hemocyte Subsets and Analysis of Their Response to Baculovirus Infection Based on Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

A wide range of hemocyte types exist in insects but a full definition the different subclasses is not yet established. The current knowledge classification silkworm hemocytes mainly comes from morphology rather than specific markers, so our understanding detailed classification, lineage and functions very incomplete. Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) representative member baculoviruses major pathogen that specifically infects silkworms ( ) causes serious losses sericulture industry. Here, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) BmNPV mock-infected larvae to comprehensively identify subsets determined molecular cellular characteristics each subset before after viral infectmadion. total 20 cell clusters their potential marker genes were identified hemocytes. All infected by at 3 days inoculation. Interestingly, infection can cause great changes distribution types. cells appearing group belong prohemocytes (PR), while plasmatocytes (PL) granulocytes (GR) are much reduced. Furthermore, found suppresses interference (RNAi) immune response In summary, results revealed diversity provided rich resource gene expression profiles for systems-level uninfected condition as BmNPV.