This is a fascinating area – methods for amplifying DNA from single cells for complete genome sequencing. The current approach uses isothermal multiple displacement amplification MDA, followed by 454 sequencing. Biotechnology is getting closer towards its origins, yea, yea.

Addendum

We can now add also single cell protein analysis – microfluidic devices that can dissolve and separate proteins before quantifying them by fluorescence in confocal microscopy. Several groups tried to increase the signal-noise ratio by decreasing capillary dimension (leading to clogging) while the new study widens the excitation laser.

The forthcoming SNP whole genome association studies will draw a lot of attention. I already have the problem of many interacting SNPs where I am suggesting to divide significant results in 3 compartments – local (LD effects), longrange (cis transcription factor effects) and pathway effects (gene family, system wide effects). The main problem are false positives that can even not be overcome by techniques like FDR. Yea, yea.

A nature genetics paper shows that a single mutation in Pseudomonas has pleiotropic effects – not limited to the level of proteins in the particular network but changing also their relationships. Sounds like a soccer match where a player has to leave  the court – which changes positions of all remaining players. “The adaptive mutation draws proteins into tighter coregulation”, yea, yea.

The French department Finestière of Brittany is the named end of world and always nicely illuminated by impressive phares. Where is the end of the submicron world – at GFP labelled proteins?