Cytosurge AG, a leader in single-cell manipulation, and Lexogen, a pioneer in RNA sequencing solutions, have announced their partnership to advance live-cell sequencing (Live-seq). The collaboration integrates Cytosurge's FluidFM® OMNIUM platform with Lexogen's LUTHOR HD kit to offer a streamlined workflow that preserves cell viability, making live-cell sequencing more accessible and scalable for researchers. For more details, download the shared application note.
Live-seq is a groundbreaking technology developed at ETH Zurich and EPFL, Switzerland, that allows the sequencing of a cell's transcriptome while keeping the cell alive. This represents a paradigm shift from traditional methods that kill cells during sampling, providing new opportunities for dynamic, time-resolved transcriptomic studies. Cytosurge’s FluidFM® technology enables gentle extraction of cytoplasmic biopsies without harming the cell. Extremely low amounts of RNA (typically <1 pg) in such biopsies demand exceptionally sensitive RNA-Seq library preparation which is where Lexogen's LUTHOR HD kit excels. LUTHOR detects thousands of genes from RNA quantities as low as 0.15 pg - well below the total RNA content of a cell - and thus ideal for Live-seq.
Driving Progress toward Scalable and Complete Live-seq Solutions
The partnership aims to provide a scalable, easy-to-use workflow for Live-seq, allowing researchers to analyze the transcriptomes of individual cells over time, track gene expression changes in living cells without disrupting their natural processes, and potentially lead to breakthroughs in cellular biology and therapeutic development.
"Partnering with Lexogen is a crucial step in advancing our mission of providing precise single-cell analysis," said Pascal Behr, Ph.D., CEO of Cytosurge. "The combination of our FluidFM® technology and Lexogen’s ultra-sensitive library prep kit allows us to deliver a comprehensive, end-to-end solution for Live-seq, opening new avenues in transcriptomics research."
Lexogen's LUTHOR HD technology uses THOR® amplification ensuring reliable results even with minimal RNA input. When combined with the FluidFM to collect RNA-containing biopsies from living cells, it enables researchers to analyze complex cellular processes with unprecedented sensitivity. "This partnership opens new possibilities to track how individual cells change over time, especially in fields like cancer research, where subtle changes in cell populations can have significant implications," said Filippo Passardi, Ph.D., Product Manager at Lexogen.
Cytosurge and Lexogen already share promising results demonstrating the generation of high-quality transcriptome data using LUTHOR HD on biopsies collected via the FluidFM® OMNIUM platform. "This partnership is not only advancing our offerings but has the potential to revolutionize transcriptomics research," added Dario Ossola, Ph.D., Product Manager at Cytosurge.
Future Developments
The collaboration will focus on analyzing more cell types and expanding the Live-seq workflow to support multiple time points. Both companies are committed to making this technology available to a wider audience, providing an affordable, scalable solution for labs around the world.
