转录组研究新技术:RNA-Seq及其应用

RNA-Seq and its applications:a new technology for transcriptomics

转录组是特定组织或细胞在某一发育阶段或功能状态下转录出来的所有RNA的集合。转录组研究能够从整体水平研究基因功能以及基因结构,揭示特定生物学过程以及疾病发生过程中的分子机理。RNA-Seq作为一种新的高效、快捷的转录组研究手段正在改变着人们对转录组的认识。RNA-Seq利用高通量测序技术对组织或细胞中所有RNA反转录而成的cDNA文库进行测序,通过统计相关读段(reads)数计算出不同RNA的表达量,发现新的转录本;如果有基因组参考序列,可以把转录本映射回基因组,确定转录本位置、剪切情况等更为全面的遗传信息,已广泛应用于生物学研究、医学研究、临床研究和药物研发等。文章主要介绍了RNA-Seq原理、技术特点及其应用,并就RNA-Seq技术面临的挑战和未来发展前景进行了讨论,为今后该技术的研究与应用提供参考。

The transcriptome is the complete set of transcripts for certain type of cells or tissues in a specific developmental stage or physiological condition.Transcriptome analysis can provide a comprehensive understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in specific biological processes and diseases from the information on gene structure and function.Transcriptome has been challenging due to the efficient and fast procedures of RNA-seq.RNA-seq,refers to the use of high-throughput sequencing technologies to sequence cDNA library transcribed from all RNAs in tissues or cells,can be used to quantify,profile,and discover RNA transcripts by sequence reads.Thus,the transcripts can then be mapped on the reference genome to get comprehensive genetic information,such as transcription localization and alternative splicing status.RNA-Seq has been widely used in biological,medical,clinical and pharmaceutical research.The detailed principles,technical characteristics and applications of RNA-seq are reviewed here,and the challenges and application potentials of RNA-seq in the future are also discussed.This will present the useful information for other researchers.