Single-cell whole-genome analyses by Linear Amplification via Transposon Insertion (LIANTI)

Making an unbiased library Sequencing the genome of single cells gives insight into issues such as cell-to-cell heterogeneity and genome instability. Key to single-cell sequencing techniques are whole-genome amplification (WGA) methods that provide sufficient DNA for next-generation sequencing. Current WGA methods have been hampered by low accuracy and spatial resolution of gene copy numbers and by low amplification fidelity. Chen et al. report an improved single-cell WGA method, Linear Amplification via Transposon Insertion (LIANTI). The DNA is randomly fragmented by Tn5 transposition of a transposon that includes a T7 promoter, which allows linear amplification. The authors used the method to determine the spectrum of single-nucleotide variations in a single human cell after ultraviolet radiation. Science , this issue p. 189