Single-cell sequencing of full-length transcripts and T-cell receptors with automated high-throughput Smart-seq3

Abstract

We developed an automated high-throughput Smart-seq3 (HT Smart-seq3) workflow that integrates best practices and an optimized protocol to enhance efficiency, scalability, and method reproducibility. This workflow consistently produces high-quality data with high cell capture efficiency and gene detection sensitivity. In a rigorous comparison with the 10X platform using human primary CD4 + T-cells, HT Smart-seq3 demonstrated higher cell capture efficiency, greater gene detection sensitivity, and lower dropout rates. Additionally, when sufficiently scaled, HT Smart-seq3 achieved a comparable resolution of cellular heterogeneity to 10X. Notably, through T-cell receptor (TCR) reconstruction, HT Smart-seq3 identified a greater number of productive alpha and beta chain pairs without the need for additional primer design to amplify full-length V(D)J segments, enabling more comprehensive TCR profiling across a broader range of species. Taken together, HT Smart-seq3 overcomes key technical challenges, offering distinct advantages that position it as a promising solution for the characterization of single-cell transcriptomes and immune repertoires, particularly well-suited for low-input, low-RNA content samples.