Spatial transcriptomics reveals light-induced chlorenchyma cells involved in promoting shoot regeneration in tomato callus

Callus is a reprogrammed cell mass involved in plant regeneration and gene transformation in crop engineering. Pluripotent callus cells develop into fertile shoots through shoot regeneration. The molecular basis of the shoot regeneration process in crop callus remains largely elusive. This study pioneers the exploration of the spatial transcriptome of tomato callus during shoot regeneration. The findings reveal the presence of highly heterogeneous cell populations within the callus, including epidermis, vascular tissue, shoot primordia, inner callus, and outgrowth shoots. By characterizing the spatially resolved molecular features of shoot primordia and surrounding cells, specific factors essential for shoot primordia formation are identified. Notably, chlorenchyma cells, enriched in photosynthesis-related processes, play a crucial role in promoting shoot primordia formation and subsequent shoot regeneration. Light is shown to promote shoot regeneration by inducing chlorenchyma cell development and coordinating sugar signaling. These findings significantly advance our understanding of the cellular and molecular aspects of shoot regeneration in tomato callus and demonstrate the immense potential of spatial transcriptomics in plant biology.