TnClone: high-throughput clonal analysis using Tn5-mediated library construction and de novo assembly

A typical molecular cloning procedure requires Sanger sequencing for validation, which becomes cost-prohibitive and labour intensive for large-scale clonal analysis of genotype phenotype studies. Here we present a Tn5 mediated clonal analysis platform TnClone, which uses next-generation sequencing (NGS) to rapidly and cost-effectively analyze a large number of clones. We also developed a user-friendly graphical user interface and have provided general guidelines for conducting validation experiments. Using TnClone, we achieved more than 20-fold cost reduction compared with the cost incurred using conventional Sanger sequencing and detected low-frequency mutant clones (~10%) in mixed samples. We tested our programme and achieved 99.4% sensitivity. Our platform provides rapid turnaround with minimal hands-on time for secondary evaluation as NGS technology continues to evolve.