Optimizing key steps of Southern blotting analysis for detecting transgene integration sites and assessing transgene integrity in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines derived from transposon-based expression systems. The genetic stability of recombinant CHO cell lines producing therapeutic proteins is critical for ensuring consistent quality in biopharmaceutical products. Southern blotting remains the gold standard for evaluating transgene integrity and stability in these cell lines. However, this is challenging with standard Southern blotting methods. Therefore, researchers introduce a modified Southern blotting protocol that significantly improves the resolution of integration banding patterns by refining key steps. This approach was successfully applied to analyze multiple transposon-derived CHO cell lines with high transgene copy numbers, enabling more precise and efficient detection of transgene integration. Spotlight: Cell line development Cell line development is essential for biologics manufacturing, drug screening and disease modeling. In this Spotlight, we explore why it is a crucial step in the drug discovery and development pipeline and the challenges researchers face. [ui-btn url=”https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07366205.2026.2621051″ text=”READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE” target=”_blank”][/ui-btn]The post Featured journal article: Optimized Southern blotting for enhanced and precise detection of transgenes in CHO cells from transposon-based expression systems appeared first on BioTechniques.
