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FORNY20-FORNY2020

KVAL: ChimPol 2.0 – Engineering DNA polymerases for use in Single-Cell Sequencing workflows

Alternative title: ChimPol2.0 – Utvikling av DNA polymeraser for bruk innenfor enkeltcellesekvensering

Awarded: NOK 0.50 mill.

Single-cell sequencing allows access to the DNA and RNA sequence information of individual cells and is an emerging application in many different areas such as cancer research, microbial ecology and biotechnology. For example, in cancer research sequencing of individual cells reveals information about mutations carried by only a few of the cells that otherwise would have gotten lost in the shuffle. Thus, without single-cell sequencing, the cause of the disease would have remained undiscovered, and an appropriate treatment would not have been possible. Acquiring high-quality single-cell sequencing data from individually isolated cells is a multi-step process with many critical steps that can affect the quality of the data output. This project address one such critical step by developing a tailor-made enzyme for uniform whole genome amplification from single cell genetic material. The amplification enzymes available on the market today are either too slow or too inaccurate to provide an optimal data quality. Through this milestone project we have verified that our developed chimeric enzyme performs significantly better than the wild-type enzyme and may therefore become a critical component in whole-genome amplification of single-cells.

We have through this milestone project verified one chimeric DNA polymerase with at least 2-fold increase in processivity compared to wild type polymerase. This will enable us to move on to a verification project and initiate the commercialization process of the chimeric enzyme. This innovation may potentially enable the customers to amplify DNA at a faster rate and increase the quality of the single cell sequencing library leading to a better final output. This improved output will have impacts in future cancer diagnostics and research. Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development, and thus also one of UNs Sustainable Developmental Goals.

Funding scheme:

FORNY20-FORNY2020