Authenticating and Monitoring Cell Lines Using Single Molecule Genomics

Abstract Irreproducibility of research data due to misidentification or propagated errors within cell lines impacts $ bn research funding in the US each year Moreover it is not easy to rapidly and inexpensively monitor the genomic composition and evolution of a cell line during its long term culture The project concerns development of a technology that integrates extraction of DNA from in vitro cultured cell lines with single molecule analysis of the genomes present in the population of cells Phase of the project will demonstrate the feasibility of acquiring sequence structural and epigenomic information robust enough to identify and characterize cell lines Narrative A challenge for researchers is identifying subtle changes in the genome of cells that are used for research studies as these alterations can change the outcome of otherwise identical experiments We propose an innovative and sensitive means to identify and characterize these changes in cell lines Our technology will impact public health by making studies based on cell culture more efficient reliable and easier to interpret