Transcriptional convergence of oligodendrocyte lineage progenitors during development

Pdgfra+ oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) arise in distinct specification waves during embryo- genesis in the central nervous system (CNS). It is unclear whether there is a correlation between these waves and different oligodendrocyte (OL) states at adult stages. Here, we present bulk and single-cell transcriptomics resources providing insights on how transitions between these states occur. We found that post-natal OPCs from brain and spinal cord present similar transcriptional signatures. Moreover, post-natal OPC progeny of E13.5 Pdgfra+ cells present electrophysiological and transcriptional profiles similar to OPCs derived from subsequent specification waves, indicating that Pdgfra+ pre- OPCs rewire their transcriptional network during development. Single-cell RNA-seq and lineage tracing indicates that a subset of E13.5 Pdgfra+ cells originates cells of the pericyte lineage. Thus, our results indicate that embryonic Pdgfra+ cells in the CNS give rise to distinct post-natal cell lineages, including OPCs with convergent transcriptional profiles in different CNS regions. Overall design: Total RNA-seq of E13.5 and P7 PDGFRA+ cells from PDGFRA/GFP mice from brain and spinal cord (n = 3 replicates).