metatranskriptomikk

Metatranscriptomics is the study of the complete set of RNA transcripts within a microbial community. Unlike metagenomics, which analyzes DNA, metatranscriptomics focuses on the active genes that are being expressed at a particular time. This provides insights into the functional potential and physiological state of the community. Researchers extract RNA from a sample, convert it to cDNA, and then sequence this cDNA. The resulting sequences are assembled and annotated to identify the genes being transcribed and their potential functions. Metatranscriptomic analysis can reveal which metabolic pathways are active, how the community responds to environmental changes, and the interactions between different microbial species. It is a powerful tool for understanding microbial ecology, disease mechanisms, and biotechnological applications. Challenges include the instability of RNA, the difficulty in distinguishing between host and microbial transcripts, and the high cost of sequencing.