Single-Cell Chromatin Accessibility Genotyping at Targeted Loci

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods struggle to accurately connect genotypes to cellular phenotypes in primary human samples due to the admixture of normal and mutant cells and high cellular heterogeneity, particularly in studying clonal expansions in healthy and malignant tissues.

Innovation Solution

A method involving generating biological particles with genomic DNA and chromatin, fragmenting them using a transposase, and employing primer pairs and barcoded beads to amplify and sequence locus nucleic acid fragments, providing chromatin accessibility and genotyping information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If bulk tissue analysis is performed, then statistical power is improved, but cellular heterogeneity is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestatistical powerVSAvoidcellular heterogeneity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The bulk tissue sample is segmented into individual single cells through enzymatic dissociation and filtration processes, allowing analysis at cellular resolution while maintaining statistical power through high cell numbers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If single-cell analysis is performed, then cellular heterogeneity is preserved, but statistical power deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecellular heterogeneityVSAvoidstatistical power
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Genomic DNA is amplified using multiple displacement amplification (MDA) to create sufficient copies from single-cell quantities, enabling downstream genotyping applications with adequate signal strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The assay design uses targeted loci with high allele frequency differences and optimized probe concentrations to enhance signal detection sensitivity at single-cell levels

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Area of stationary object

If whole-genome amplification is performed, then genomic coverage is improved, but allele dropout increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenomic coverageVSAvoidallele dropout
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of amplifying the entire genome, the method extracts and amplifies only specific targeted loci, reducing amplification bias and allele dropout while maintaining sufficient coverage for genotyping

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The assay optimizes amplification conditions specifically for targeted loci with high allele frequency differences, rather than attempting uniform whole-genome amplification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Measurement precision

If targeted loci with high allele frequency differences are used, then genotyping accuracy is improved, but locus selection complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegenotyping accuracyVSAvoidlocus selection complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The assay design selects targeted loci that serve multiple purposes: they provide high genotyping accuracy through allele frequency differences, work across diverse cell types, and are compatible with the single-cell amplification methodology

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables accurate single-cell genotyping and chromatin accessibility mapping, improving the ability to resolve cellular complexity and connect genotypes to phenotypes, especially in clonal mosaicism.

Implementation Method 1

The cell permeabilization solution (CPS) of the present disclosure facilitates chromatin release from the cell nucleus

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeabilization:

Implementation Method 2

The Tn5-based single-cell chromatin accessibility assay (scATAC-seq) has emerged as a powerful tool for profiling chromatin accessibility at single-cell resolution

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTransposition:

Implementation Method 3

magnetic bead-based single-cell isolation method

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic separation: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 4

single-cell whole-genome amplification using multiple displacement amplification (MDA)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDNA amplification:

Data Source

PatentEP4448787B1Genotyping of targeted loci with single-cell chromatin accessibility
Publication Date: 2026.05.20 NEW YORK GENOME CENT
  • EP4448787B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP4448787B1 patent drawingFigure 1b~1c
  • EP4448787B1 patent drawingFigure 1d~1e

AI summary

The present disclosure relates generally to methods, compositions, and systems for processing nucleic acids from individual cells or cell populations. The present invention enables direct sequencing of full-length RNA molecules with no amplification steps. The present invention allows determination of RNA modifications in highly specific cell populations of any tissue.