Highlights from the Single Cell Multiomics Workshop at i3S: BD Biosciences' New Solutions
Multiomics, Reagents, Fluorochromes and Instruments
📅 October 15th, 2024
📌 i3S, Porto, Portugal
I had the privilege of 🗣️ at the Single Cell Multiomics workshop, organized by Enzifarma and BD Biosciences (BD).
The event focused on the BD Rhapsody™ HT Xpress system, showcasing BD’s novel single-cell sequencing multiomics approaches. Additionally, new antibodies, reagents, and equipment were introduced, which can enhance any research project.
Here are some 🔑 highlights from the workshop:
1. BD Rhapsody™ HT Xpress System
The Rhapsody™ HT Xpress is BD's newest platform for isolating individual cells in single-cell experiments. It uses cartridges filled with hexagonal microwells. These microwells are not connected by microchannels (no microfluidics), so there is no sample loss due to channel clogging. When performing CITE-seq or other assays with antibodies, the Rhapsody™ HT Xpress system promises cleaner data compared to droplet-based technology. This is because cells are washed multiple times after they are isolated on the microwells, removing more efficiently unbound antibodies and reducing background noise, leading to more accurate results.
Versatile Cartridge System for Flexible Experiments
The Rhapsody™ HT Xpress also offers a flexible cartridge system that can handle up to 8 samples (8 lanes) at a time. Each lane is independent, meaning that different assays can be run on the same cartridge simultaneously (e.g., CITE-seq and scATAC-seq) or across different days, making it an excellent solution for labs that require flexibility. This system can process up to 1 million cells with sample multiplexing, or up to 320K cells per cartridge without multiplexing. The cell capture rate can reach up to 80%, depending on the cell type.
True Multiomics
BD’s single-cell sequencing technology is focused on 'true' single-cell multiomics, where multiple layers of information from an individual cell can be gathered simultaneously in a single wet-lab experiment. Some experimental possibilities are: RNA + open chromatin; RNA and intracellular protein expression; or RNA + VDJ information + extracellular protein expression. To be honest, I was surprised with the amount of possible combinations.
Case Study: Study of γδ T cells in Tissues Pathophysiology
Another highlight of the workshop was the presentation by Julie Ribot from the Instituto de Medicina Molecular (IMM). She explained how BD’s Rhapsody™ system was the best option for her project on studying the role of γδ T cells in tissue pathophysiology. She demonstrated that the approach excelled in capturing a high number of mRNA molecules per cell, making it especially useful for studying cells with low mRNA content.
2. New Fluorochromes for Better Flow Cytometry Results
Flow cytometry is another critical method for single-cell research. BD introduced new laser-specific fluorochromes, BD Horizon RealYellow™ and BD Horizon RealBlue™, which reduce signal overlap and improve the clarity of results. These fluorochromes work with both traditional and spectral flow cytometers, helping on the design of more effective panels.
🚨 BONUS: Free samples of these fluorochromes are available, along with a performance chart to assist in panel design!
3. BD® OMICS-Guard Sample Preservation Buffer
The BD® OMICS-Guard Sample Preservation Buffer was developed to protect samples and maintain cell viability for up to 72 hours at 4°C. This is ideal for multi-site studies or when sample collection occurs at different times. In addition to being used upstream of single-cell sequencing experiments (e.g., RNA-seq, CITE-seq), it can also be used in other applications such as flow cytometry and qPCR.
🚨 BONUS 🇵🇹: If you are in Portugal, contact Enzifarma to get your free sample!
4. BD FACS Discover™ S8 Cell Sorter: get pictures of your cells
The BD FACS Discover™ S8 Cell Sorter is an instrument that can be used in different research projects, including single-cell research ones. It combines spectral flow cytometry with real-time imaging, allowing us to sort and visualize cells before proceeding to downstream experiments.
What I liked, thinking about single-cell sequencing experiments:
Provides sorting with 78 fluorescent detectors across 5 lasers, allowing us to work with larger panels and more markers in a single experiment. This flexibility reduces the need for multiple sorting rounds when doing cell population enrichment and makes the process smoother.
Features 6-way sorting, which enables us to sort different cell populations simultaneously, saving time and resources. We can sort into 96-well and 384-well plates, as well as onto slides.
We can do index sorting and take pictures of individual cells. After imaging data can be correlated with downstream assay results, like RNA
Finally, it is compact and can fit in a standard safety cabinet.
Conclusion
BD has made significant improvements to its single-cell sequencing technology, increasing the number of samples that can be processed in parallel, enhancing capture efficiency, and allowing results from a larger number of cells in a single experiment. The company stands out by offering a wide range of assays that can be combined for true multiomics single-cell experiments.
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