Seq-Scope-eXpanded: spatial omics beyond optical resolution.

Abstract

Sequencing-based spatial transcriptomics (sST) enables transcriptome-wide gene expression mapping but falls short of reaching the optical resolution (200-300 nm) of imaging-based methods. Here, we present Seq-Scope-X (Seq-Scope-eXpanded), which empowers submicrometer-resolution Seq-Scope with tissue expansion to surpass this limitation. By physically enlarging tissues, Seq-Scope-X minimizes transcript diffusion effects and increases spatial feature density by an additional order of magnitude. In liver tissue, this approach resolves nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments in nearly every single cell, uncovering widespread differences between nuclear and cytoplasmic transcriptome patterns. Independently confirmed by imaging-based methods, these results suggest that individual hepatocytes can dynamically switch their metabolic roles. Seq-Scope-X also works in brain and colon, and can be adapted for spatial proteomics, profiling hundreds of barcode-tagged antibody stains at microscopic resolutions in mouse spleens and human tonsils. Together, these findings establish Seq-Scope-X as a powerful platform for ultra-high-resolution whole-transcriptome and proteome profiling, expanding the spatial precision achievable for studying cellular architecture, function, and disease mechanisms.