background
The rapid advancement of single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (SC/SNRNA-SAQ) has opened unprecedented windows in cellular diversity, yet existing methods to multiplexes samples struggling with scalability and accuracy. Traditional techniques dependent on antibodies or lipid-based barcodes often fail in various types or species equally in label cells, especially in complex clinical samples. These boundaries-prejudice of cell-type, cross-submission risk, and rare cell population loss-large-scale studies and clinical translations. To overcome these challenges, a team led by Professor Yeevai Lee at Huzhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) has pioneered a Totti-N-C, a groundbreaking technology, which uses the universal appearance of N-Glikens on cells and nuclear surfaces. Published as a cover story in Research ,
Research progress
The heart of the Toti-N-SQ is an engineer protein, STV-FG, which is obtained by modifying the natural glycan-binding protein FBS1. This fusion protein binds non-selectively to all N-Glacan types, enabling universal tagging of cells and nuclei. By attaching DNA barcode to STV-FG, the team achieved an accurate sample multiplexing without cell-type or species restrictions. Experimental beliefs underlined its strength: Flow Cytometry revealed the labeling capacity as the cell membrane at 37.5 am and for the nucleus at 75.0 pm, with cross-polls below 2% even after a long sample mixture.
In practical applications, Toti-N-SEQ demonstrated extraordinary accuracy. When applied to single-nucleus sequencing, it acquired a overall classification of 0.987 to improve traditional antibodies or lipid-based methods. In particular, the technology preserved the rare cell population, such as 0.5% plasmastoid dendritic cells (PDCs) in human peripheral blood samples, while 0.04% for single cells and 0.02% for nucleus to 0.02%. These abilities were more valid in 12-PLEX experiments, where the sample ratio deviation remained less than 4%, its credibility for mass studies proved to be its credibility.
future prospects
Further, the Toti-N-SEQ platform is ready to replace both original and applied research. The team plans to expand its multiplexing capacity up to 24-speed or higher, which facilitates ambitious projects such as cross-organ cell atlas and high-thruput drug screening. Integration with epigenetic and protective tools will enable multi-dimensional single-cell analysis, highlighting the complex regulatory networks.
Clinically, the ability to maintain the rare cell of the Toti-N-SQ is a powerful tool to dissect and predict tumor microelements. immunotherapy Reactions. The upcoming multi-seater study will detect its clinical ability in cancer patient colleagues. Beyond academia, the compatibility of technology with platforms such as Mobinova microfluidics promises to streamline industrial workflows, to accelerate drug growth and toxicity testing through standardized, reproductive protocols.
conclusion
The Toti-N-SQ represents a jump in single-cell genomics, in which multiplexing accuracy and scalability have long been addressed. By taking advantage of the omnipresent of N-Glacons, Professor Lee’s team has created a versatile tool that bridges species and cell types, preserving biological nuances. As technology moves towards clinical and industrial adoption, it has the ability to make high-resolution cellular profiles democratic, strengthening discoveries from developmental biology to personal medicine.
Source:
Journal reference:
Lee, Y. Et al(2025). Toti-N-Glycan recognition enables universal multiplex single nucleus RNA sequencing. Research, doi.org/10.34133/research.0678,