scONE-seq: A single-cell multi-omics method enables simultaneous dissection of phenotype and genotype heterogeneity from frozen tumors

Sci Adv. 2023 Jan 4;9(1):eabp8901. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abp8901. Epub 2023 Jan 4.

Abstract

Single-cell multi-omics can provide a unique perspective on tumor cellular heterogeneity. Most previous single-cell whole-genome RNA sequencing (scWGS-RNA-seq) methods demonstrate utility with intact cells from fresh samples. Among them, many are not applicable to frozen samples that cannot produce intact single-cell suspensions. We have developed scONE-seq, a versatile scWGS-RNA-seq method that amplifies single-cell DNA and RNA without separating them from each other and hence is compatible with frozen biobanked samples. We benchmarked scONE-seq against existing methods using fresh and frozen samples to demonstrate its performance in various aspects. We identified a unique transcriptionally normal-like tumor clone by analyzing a 2-year frozen astrocytoma sample, demonstrating that performing single-cell multi-omics interrogation on biobanked tissue by scONE-seq could enable previously unidentified discoveries in tumor biology.

MeSH terms

  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Multiomics*
  • Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Phenotype
  • RNA-Seq / methods