RNA-seq
From BITS wiki
RNA-seq refers to the use of high-throughput sequencing technologies to sequence cDNA in order to get information about a sample's RNA content. [1]. In general, RNA is first converted to cDNA before being sequenced.
Goal
Information you can gather out of RNA seq is very diverse: this type of analysis requires perhaps more than other types of HTS a adequate understanding of the origin of the source material and the properties of the resulting dataset. That's because the transcriptome (the total of the RNA molecules present in a cell), differs between cells, tissues, developmental stages,... Hence, all the variability that allows a cell to respond adequately to its environment can be reflected into the transcriptome.
- Insight in the nature of transcriptional active genes
- splicing information of the genes of interest
- quantitative information on the expressed genes
- information on non-coding RNA molecules
- information on the transcriptional active parts of genomes, when mapped to genome sequences
Tools
See RNAseq toolbox
Tutorials
- BITS' training session on RNA-Seq analysis for differential expression
- Tutorial of Princeton University
- Guide To RNA-seq data analysis - BioInfWiki by Young