Can I run single cell sequencing on non-model organisms?

Yes, Singleron’s single cell sequencing workflows are generally species-agnostic as they use oligo(dT) barcode beads to capture poly(A) mRNA. However, independent of the platform, data analysis can be the largest challenge due to the lack of well-annotated reference genome.

That is where single cell full-length RNA sequencing methods such as Singleron MobiuSCOPE can be beneficial. With the 3′ RNA-seq method, which is the most commonly used in single cell sequencing, the captured 3′ end of the RNA cannot always be assigned to the correct gene if the reference genome is incomplete. In contrast, single cell RNA-seq methods that can capture full-length RNA information have a higher chance of having reads assigned to known exons, which gives more reliable gene expression profiles and cell type annotation. Additionally, single cell full-length RNA-seq can also be helpful in building a more complete reference genome for such non-model organisms.

Singleron has experience with more than 70 different species. Contact the Singleron team to discuss species-specific considerations such as tissue dissociation and reagent compatibility.