Transkriptomia

Transkriptomia is the complete set of RNA transcripts produced by a cell or organism under specific conditions. Unlike the genome, which is a fixed set of DNA instructions, the transcriptome is dynamic and changes in response to various factors such as developmental stage, environmental cues, and disease states. Studying the transcriptome allows researchers to understand which genes are active and to what extent at any given time. This information is crucial for deciphering cellular function, identifying disease biomarkers, and developing targeted therapies.

The technology used to analyze the transcriptome is called transcriptomics. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have revolutionized transcriptomics, enabling high-throughput and cost-effective measurement of RNA abundance. This involves converting RNA into complementary DNA (cDNA) and then sequencing these cDNA molecules. The resulting sequence data is then aligned to a reference genome or transcriptome to quantify the expression levels of individual genes or transcripts. Specialized bioinformatics tools are used to process, analyze, and interpret this vast amount of data.

Key applications of transcriptomics include identifying differentially expressed genes between healthy and diseased tissues, understanding gene regulatory networks, discovering novel RNA molecules, and profiling the molecular subtypes of diseases. By providing a snapshot of gene activity, transcriptomics offers valuable insights into the complex biological processes underlying health and disease.