Nano-sequencing can study gene mutations in undivided cells

Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, May 5 (Intern reporter Zhang Jiaxin) Scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom have invented a new method called nanosequencing, which can study the genetic changes in human tissues with the highest accuracy so far.

The tissues in the human body are composed of dividing cells and non-dividing cells.

As we age, human cells will undergo genetic changes, which are so-called somatic mutations.

In recent years, new technologies have enabled scientists to study mutations in stem cells of healthy tissues.

In this study, researchers tried to improve an advanced sequencing method called double sequencing to search for errors in double-stranded sequence data and found that these errors were concentrated at the ends of DNA fragments.

Researchers say they can now accurately study somatic mutations in any tissue.

The first author of the paper, Dr.

They also used this method to study blood, colon, brain, and muscle samples, and the results challenged the idea that cell division is the main mechanism driving genetic changes.

In addition, this method allows researchers to collect tissue samples non-invasively, such as scraping the skin or wiping the throat.