Tracking ongoing chromosomal instability using single-cell whole-genome sequencing

Abstract

Chromosomal instability (CIN) generates aneuploid genomes that are characteristic of most cancers. While bulk genome sequencing reveals historical CIN, it lacks the resolution to identify ongoing CIN that actively shapes genome evolution. Here, we present a computational framework that leverages single-cell whole-genome sequencing (scWGS) to identify and quantify ongoing CIN by detecting cell-unique copy number alterations and probabilistically mapping them to known CIN signatures. We validated this framework generating in vitro models with four types of induced CIN, correctly identifying the induced-CIN type in each case. When applied to cell lines and organoids with ongoing homologous recombination deficiency, our method showed improved identification of sensitivity to PARP inhibition and platinum-based chemotherapy. Analysing scWGS data from 8 triple-negative breast cancers, we linked ongoing impaired non-homologous end joining to subclonal diversification, a finding further supported in cohorts of 179 unmatched primary and metastatic TNBCs and 39 matched cases. Collectively, our results demonstrate that distinguishing ongoing from historical chromosomal instability uncovers a distinct dimension of tumour evolution, suggesting that effective precision oncology will require integrating measurements of both past genomic scars and active mutational processes.