RNASequenzierungen

RNA sequencing, often abbreviated as RNA-Seq, is a powerful next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology used to analyze the transcriptome of an organism or cell. The transcriptome represents the complete set of RNA transcripts, including messenger RNA (mRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and non-coding RNAs, produced by a cell or population of cells at a specific time and under specific conditions. RNA-Seq allows researchers to study the presence and quantity of these RNA molecules, providing insights into gene expression levels, alternative splicing events, gene fusions, and novel RNA transcripts.

The process typically begins with RNA extraction from biological samples. Following extraction, RNA is often converted to complementary DNA (cDNA) through reverse transcription. This cDNA is then fragmented, and sequencing adapters are ligated to the fragments. These prepared libraries are then sequenced using high-throughput sequencing platforms. The resulting sequence reads are aligned to a reference genome or transcriptome, or assembled de novo if a reference is not available. Finally, bioinformatics analysis is performed to quantify gene expression, identify differentially expressed genes, detect splice variants, and explore other transcriptional features.

RNA-Seq has become an indispensable tool in various fields of biology and medicine. It is widely used for understanding cellular function, identifying disease biomarkers, studying developmental processes, and investigating the effects of drugs or environmental stimuli on gene expression. Its high sensitivity and resolution enable the detection of even low-abundance transcripts and subtle changes in gene expression, making it a versatile technology for comprehensive transcriptome profiling.