STRaM: A genetic framework for improved cell product provenance for research and clinical translations
Multiple assessment checks are required to handle the increasingly complex engineered-cell and cell-line provenance. To manage the biosafety and efficacy demands, we developed a bioinformatic pipeline for de novo profiling of short tandem repeats and mutations (STRaM) to identify and track homologous edited/engineered cells. The core technology of STRaM comprises an error-sensing bioinformatic pipeline with 3 analysis modules (STR analysis, STR flanking analysis and EMS analysis) for profiling, and an integrated assessment system with three indices for the respective reporting of identity, purity and genetic modifications of tested cells. STRaM maintains a transformed pathway for backward compatibility with traditional capillary gel electrophoresis (CE) based DNA databases. To introduce our integrative and cost-effective STRaM system to best practices in the management of modern cell products, we applied our enhanced DNA fingerprinting technique to several basic and translational cell research examples.
Authors
- Kuncheng Zhou
- Ray P. S. Han (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3551-4795)
- Wen Lei (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5473-5350)
- Keying Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6487-144X)
- Binglin Li
- Yingqi Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0707-5115)
- Yuanchao Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5803-5343)
- Yuanbiao Tu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9692-4635)
- Wanling Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0063-6327)
- Qing Peng
- Hao Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8319-8101)
- Jie Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5642-0560)
- Chi Hieu Le (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5168-2297)
- Ying Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1174-7256)
- Xian Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0203-5598)
- Yanwen Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7986-4500)
- Liyan Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6766-9508)
- Shuqin Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4301-7780)
- Wenbin Qian (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9817-6674)
- Wei Guo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2226-2613)
- Yufei Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3449-6839)
- Weiyan Zheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1497-6121)
- Stephene S. Meena (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5869-459X)
Institutions
- Jiangxi University of Technology (CN)
- Longgang Central Hospital (CN)
- Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital (CN)
- Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CN)
- Zhujiang Hospital (CN)
- University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital (CN)
- Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CN)
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (CN)
- Shenzhen Second People's Hospital (CN)
- First Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University (CN)
- Southern Medical University (CN)
- Zhejiang University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Communications Biology
- Published
- 2025-08-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08547-1
- Primary Topic
- Innovative Microfluidic and Catalytic Techniques Innovation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Zhejiang University
- National Science and Technology Major Project
- National Key Research and Development Program of China