Cell Receptor Sequencing (TCR-Seq)
What Is T Cell Receptor Sequencing (TCR-Seq)?
TCR sequencing (TCR-Seq) provides a deep look into the adaptive immune system by profiling T cell receptor diversity and clonality arising from V(D)J recombination. Every TCR gene locus (α, β, γ, δ) is assembled in developing T cells from Variable (V), Diversity (D), and Joining (J) segments, with the Complementarity-Determining Region 3 (CDR3) positioned at the V–J or V–D–J junction driving antigen specificity. At AUGenomics, we offer both RNA and DNA-based high-sensitivity TCR-Seq services to help researchers investigate immune response, monitor immunotherapy, and discover biomarkers for disease progression.
Our customizable solutions are designed to support both human and animal immune repertoire research, from bulk TCR profiling to paired alpha-beta chain analysis.
Advantages of TCR-Seq T
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Immune Repertoire Profiling: TCR-Seq provides a comprehensive view of T-cell diversity by capturing unique T-cell receptor (TCR) sequences, enabling the study of clonal expansion, immune repertoire complexity, and adaptive immune responses.
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High Sensitivity & Specificity: By sequencing TCR β- and/or α-chain regions, TCR-Seq can detect even rare clonotypes within heterogeneous samples, allowing researchers to track immune responses to infections, cancer, or therapy with high resolution.
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Dynamic Monitoring: Enables longitudinal tracking of T-cell clones across timepoints or treatment stages, helping identify how immune repertoires shift during disease progression, vaccination, or immunotherapy.
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Broad Research Utility: Applicable to diverse studies in oncology, autoimmunity, infectious disease, and vaccine development, which offers insights into how T-cell dynamics correlate with disease states or therapeutic outcomes.
What is TCR-Seq Used For?
TCR-Seq is widely used in both basic research and clinical studies:
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Immuno-oncology and cancer immunotherapy monitoring
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Track expansion of tumor-reactive clones during checkpoint blockade or CAR-T cell therapy
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Detect minimal residual disease via low-frequency clonotypes in blood or bone marrow
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Infectious disease response and vaccine development
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Map the breadth and kinetics of T cell responses to pathogens or vaccine antigens
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Identify public (shared) versus private (individual) clonotypes across cohorts
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Autoimmune and inflammatory disease studies
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Compare TCR repertoires in diseased versus healthy tissues (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis synovium)
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Discover autoreactive clones driving pathology
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CAR-T therapy tracking
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Biomarker discovery
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Correlate clonotype features (CDR3 length, V/J usage) with clinical outcomes
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Develop gene-signature panels of protective or pathogenic T cell subsets
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Longitudinal tracking of clonal expansion
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Transplantation & Tolerance Studies
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Monitor donor-specific T cell clones post-transplant to predict rejection or tolerance
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Whether you’re analyzing peripheral blood, tumor infiltrates, or lymphoid tissues, our sequencing workflows are optimized for maximum accuracy and sensitivity.
DNA vs. RNA-based TCRseq
Pros of gDNA-Based TCR-Seq
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Stable template—robust to storage and handling
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Direct measure of clonal frequency independent of expression
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Simplified bioinformatics (no splice junctions)
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Ideal for minimal residual disease (MRD) and longitudinal tracking
Cons of gDNA-Based TCR-Seq
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Does not capture expression levels or activation state
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Slightly higher input requirement vs. RNA-based
Pros of RNA-Based TCR-Seq
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Reflects active T cell populations and activation status
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Can capture rare, highly expressed clones even at low cell numbers
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Enables measurement of V(D)J transcript isoforms and splice variants
Cons of RNA-Based TCR-Seq
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RNA degradation risk—requires stringent QC
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Reverse transcription bias can skew quantitation
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More complex library prep and data analysis
TCR-Seq with AUGenomics
Sample Submission
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Accepted Sample Types: DNA or RNA from peripheral blood leukocytes, whole blood, or sorted T cells
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Input Requirement:
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RNA: ≥20 ng total RNA
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DNA: ≥100 ng gDNA
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Sequencing Recommendations:
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For full VDJ transcript, 300x300 read lengths are necessary
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CDR3-only available with shorter read lengths (150x150)
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Supports paired alpha-beta TCR chain reconstruction
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Bulk or single-cell compatible formats
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Please refer to our Shipping Guidelines for project-specific guidance.
Turnaround Time
Projects are typically completed in 10 to 14 business days after sample receipt. Expedited options are available for urgent timelines.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Do you support both RNA-based and DNA-based TCR profiling?
A: Yes. We offer both RNA-based (for expression-level insights) and DNA-based (for stable clonal tracking) workflows depending on your project goals.
Q: Can I track TCR clones over time in clinical studies?
A: Absolutely. Our pipeline supports longitudinal analysis across timepoints, allowing you to monitor clonal expansion and persistence.
Q: Is this compatible with single-cell analysis?
A: Yes. While this page describes bulk TCR-Seq, we also support integration with single-cell RNA-Seq platforms for paired chain analysis.
Got more questions? Contact our team and get a free consultation anytime. info@augenomics.com
