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De Jonghe J, Kaminski TS, Morse DB, Tabaka M, Ellermann AL, Kohler TN, Amadei G, Handford CE, Findlay GM, Zernicka-Goetz M, Teichmann SA, Hollfelder F. spinDrop: a droplet microfluidic platform to maximise single-cell sequencing information content. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4788. [PMID: 37553326 PMCID: PMC10409775 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40322-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Droplet microfluidic methods have massively increased the throughput of single-cell sequencing campaigns. The benefit of scale-up is, however, accompanied by increased background noise when processing challenging samples and the overall RNA capture efficiency is lower. These drawbacks stem from the lack of strategies to enrich for high-quality material or specific cell types at the moment of cell encapsulation and the absence of implementable multi-step enzymatic processes that increase capture. Here we alleviate both bottlenecks using fluorescence-activated droplet sorting to enrich for droplets that contain single viable cells, intact nuclei, fixed cells or target cell types and use reagent addition to droplets by picoinjection to perform multi-step lysis and reverse transcription. Our methodology increases gene detection rates fivefold, while reducing background noise by up to half. We harness these properties to deliver a high-quality molecular atlas of mouse brain development, despite starting with highly damaged input material, and provide an atlas of nascent RNA transcription during mouse organogenesis. Our method is broadly applicable to other droplet-based workflows to deliver sensitive and accurate single-cell profiling at a reduced cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim De Jonghe
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tomasz S Kaminski
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - David B Morse
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Marcin Tabaka
- International Centre for Translational Eye Research, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna L Ellermann
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Timo N Kohler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Gianluca Amadei
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte E Handford
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Pasadena, USA
| | - Sarah A Teichmann
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Florian Hollfelder
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Morse DB, Michalowski AM, Ceribelli M, De Jonghe J, Vias M, Riley D, Davies-Hill T, Voss T, Pittaluga S, Muus C, Liu J, Boyle S, Weitz DA, Brenton JD, Buenrostro JD, Knowles TPJ, Thomas CJ. Positional influence on cellular transcriptional identity revealed through spatially segmented single-cell transcriptomics. Cell Syst 2023; 14:464-481.e7. [PMID: 37348462 PMCID: PMC10424188 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a powerful technique for describing cell states. Identifying the spatial arrangement of these states in tissues remains challenging, with the existing methods requiring niche methodologies and expertise. Here, we describe segmentation by exogenous perfusion (SEEP), a rapid and integrated method to link surface proximity and environment accessibility to transcriptional identity within three-dimensional (3D) disease models. The method utilizes the steady-state diffusion kinetics of a fluorescent dye to establish a gradient along the radial axis of disease models. Classification of sample layers based on dye accessibility enables dissociated and sorted cells to be characterized by transcriptomic and regional identities. Using SEEP, we analyze spheroid, organoid, and in vivo tumor models of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). The results validate long-standing beliefs about the relationship between cell state and position while revealing new concepts regarding how spatially unique microenvironments influence the identity of individual cells within tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Morse
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Ave, Cambridge, UK; Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aleksandra M Michalowski
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michele Ceribelli
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Maria Vias
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Research Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, UK
| | - Deanna Riley
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Theresa Davies-Hill
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ty Voss
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Stefania Pittaluga
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christoph Muus
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jiamin Liu
- Advanced Imaging and Microscopy Resource, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Samantha Boyle
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Research Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, UK
| | - David A Weitz
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James D Brenton
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Research Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jason D Buenrostro
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Ave, Cambridge, UK; Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Craig J Thomas
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Macintyre G, Piskorz AM, Berman A, Ross E, Morse DB, Yuan K, Ennis D, Pike JA, Goranova T, McNeish IA, Brenton JD, Markowetz F. FrenchFISH: Poisson Models for Quantifying DNA Copy Number From Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization of Tissue Sections. JCO Clin Cancer Inform 2021; 5:176-186. [PMID: 33570999 PMCID: PMC8140799 DOI: 10.1200/cci.20.00075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Chromosomal aberration and DNA copy number change are robust hallmarks of cancer. The gold standard for detecting copy number changes in tumor cells is fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using locus-specific probes that are imaged as fluorescent spots. However, spot counting often does not perform well on solid tumor tissue sections due to partially represented or overlapping nuclei. MATERIALS AND METHODS To overcome these challenges, we have developed a computational approach called FrenchFISH, which comprises a nuclear volume correction method coupled with two types of Poisson models: either a Poisson model for improved manual spot counting without the need for control probes or a homogeneous Poisson point process model for automated spot counting. RESULTS We benchmarked the performance of FrenchFISH against previous approaches using a controlled simulation scenario and tested it experimentally in 12 ovarian carcinoma FFPE-tissue sections for copy number alterations at three loci (c-Myc, hTERC, and SE7). FrenchFISH outperformed standard spot counting with 74% of the automated counts having < 1 copy number difference from the manual counts and 17% having < 2 copy number differences, while taking less than one third of the time of manual counting. CONCLUSION FrenchFISH is a general approach that can be used to enhance clinical diagnosis on sections of any tissue by both speeding up and improving the accuracy of spot count estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoff Macintyre
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anna M. Piskorz
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Adam Berman
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Edith Ross
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David B. Morse
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ke Yuan
- University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Darren Ennis
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Jeremy A. Pike
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, UK
| | - Teodora Goranova
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Iain A. McNeish
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK
| | - James D. Brenton
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Florian Markowetz
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Morse DB, Ceribelli M, De Jonghe J, Michalowski A, Muus C, Vias M, Boyle S, Weitz DA, Brenton J, Buenrostro JD, Thomas C, Knowles TP. Abstract 5879: Spatially-segmented single-cell transcriptomics by diffusional accessibility to a small-molecule dye. Cancer Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2020-5879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
High-throughput single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) is used to describe complex tissues by characterizing transcriptional states of individual cells. Defining a cell's position, both in regard to tissue margins and its social context, is essential for understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic variables that effect the transcriptional identity of individual cells. Conventional high-throughput scRNA-seq assays, however, decouple cells from their original locations within tissues. In situ hybridization readouts of gene expression and in situ sequencing preserve spatial information in tissues, but currently have a lower total read threshold than NextGen sequencing – imposing a restriction on either cell throughput or transcriptional breadth. Combining the above methods or using regional barcodes to define 2D positions have spatially-reconstructed tissue regions but are seldom employed in unspecialized laboratories. We describe SEgmentation by Exogenous Perfusion (SEEP), a rapid, integrated, method for providing 3D spatial-segmentation to scRNA-seq data. Tissues are divided into layers based on accessibility of a fluorescent dye allowing sorted cells to be characterized by transcriptomic and regional identity. We use SEEP to explore how the transcriptional states of cells in high-grade serous ovarian cancer vary with respect to intratumoral position. We describe an integrated method for correlating 3D radial-spatial cell positions with scRNA-seq data. By employing a basic stain-and-sort method using an off-the-shelf live-dead stain, we are able to correlate transcriptional profiles with radial-spatial positions in both radially symmetric tissues (e.g., spheroids, organoids, spherical tumor masses) and linear tissue samples (e.g., punch biopsies). SEEP uses an imaging-based calibration step to inform the parameters of a FACS and sequencing based measurement step. Across spheroid, organoid, and PDX models of high-grade serous ovarian cancer, we find common positional transcriptomic profiles, ranging from single-gene proclivities to multi-gene-set enrichments across tissue layers.
Citation Format: David B. Morse, Michele Ceribelli, Joachim De Jonghe, Aleksandra Michalowski, Christoph Muus, Maria Vias, Samantha Boyle, David A. Weitz, James Brenton, Jason D. Buenrostro, Craig Thomas, Tuomas P. Knowles. Spatially-segmented single-cell transcriptomics by diffusional accessibility to a small-molecule dye [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 5879.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria Vias
- 1University of Cambirdge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Toprakcioglu Z, Challa PK, Morse DB, Knowles T. Attoliter protein nanogels from droplet nanofluidics for intracellular delivery. Sci Adv 2020; 6:eaay7952. [PMID: 32083185 PMCID: PMC7007244 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay7952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Microscale hydrogels consisting of macromolecular networks in aqueous continuous phases have received increasing attention because of their potential use in tissue engineering, cell encapsulation and for the storage and release of cargo molecules. However, for applications targeting intracellular delivery, their micrometer-scale size is unsuitable for effective cellular uptake. Nanoscale analogs of such materials are thus required for this key area. Here, we describe a microfluidics/nanofluidics-based strategy for generating monodisperse nanosized water-in-oil emulsions with controllable sizes ranging from 2500 ± 110 nm down to 51 ± 6 nm. We demonstrate that these nanoemulsions can act as templates to form protein nanogels stabilized by supramolecular fibrils from three different proteins. We further show that these nanoparticles have the ability to penetrate mammalian cell membranes and deliver intracellular cargo. Due to their biocompatibility and lack of toxicity, natural protein-based nanoparticles present advantageous characteristics as vehicles for cargo molecules in the context of pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenon Toprakcioglu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Pavan Kumar Challa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - David B. Morse
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Tuomas Knowles
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 OHE, UK
- Corresponding author.
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Morse DB, Rauchfuss TB, Wilson SR. Studies on organometallic oxidants: structure, redox properties, and magnetism of tribromo- and triodo(cyclopentadienyl)vanadium. Inorg Chem 2002. [DOI: 10.1021/ic00004a030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Morse DB, Rauchfuss TB, Wilson SR. Organometallic dioxygen activation: formation of (pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)chromyl dibromide. J Am Chem Soc 2002. [DOI: 10.1021/ja00232a045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Morse DB, Rauchfuss TB, Wilson SR. Highly oxidizing organometallics: preparation of magnetic charge-transfer salts derived from (MeCp)VCl3. J Am Chem Soc 2002. [DOI: 10.1021/ja00216a048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Morse DB, Hendrickson DN, Rauchfuss TB, Wilson SR. Highly oxidizing organometallics: physicochemical characterization of (methylcyclopentadienyl)vanadium(IV) trichloride and related vanadium(III) and titanium(III) derivatives. Organometallics 2002. [DOI: 10.1021/om00092a041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Morse DB, Rauchfuss TB, Wilson SR. Main Group organotransition metal chemistry: the cyclopentadienylchromium polyiodides including [(C5Me5)2Cr2I3+]2[I162-]. J Am Chem Soc 2002. [DOI: 10.1021/ja00161a033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Morse DB, Rauchfuss TB, Wilson SR. Main Group organotransition metal chemistry: the cyclopentadienylchromium polyiodides including [(C5Me5)2Cr2I3+]2[I162-] [Erratum to document cited in CA112(13):119043n]. J Am Chem Soc 1990. [DOI: 10.1021/ja00173a073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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