The transcriptome is the complete collection of RNA in an organism, determining gene expression and changing throughout an organism’s life in response to environmental factors. It is smaller than the genome, and mRNA molecules communicate with ribosomes to produce proteins. Different cells have different transcriptomes, and sequencing RNA can help identify genetic issues.
The transcriptome is a complete collection of RNA from an organism, a group of cells or even a specific cell. RNA is synthesized from DNA through a process known as transcription. The RNA present in a cell and in the body determines which genes will be expressed and changes throughout an organism’s life, unlike DNA, which remains static. Environmental pressure is a major reason for the changes, as the body attempts to adapt to changing environmental situations to keep itself functioning.
The transcriptome is much smaller than an organism’s genome, the complete collection of DNA in the organism. Simply put, you could think of DNA as a cookbook, listing a complete collection of recipes you can make. The transcriptome is the code that determines which recipes will be made and when. The cookbook remains static throughout life, while the transcriptome changes in response to environmental factors.
An important part of the transcriptome are mRNA molecules. Messenger RNA is the RNA that communicates with ribosomes in cells to direct cells to produce various proteins. These proteins are used for a wide variety of functions. Other parts may not directly code for protein production, but do things like determine cell structure and regulate gene expression. Together, the various components of the transcriptome maintain the functioning of an organism and determine gene expression within that organism.
Within various cells of the body, the transcriptome can be very different. Liver cells, for example, have RNA that makes them liver cells and ensures that the cells perform necessary functions. Skin cells, on the other hand, have a different transcriptome that turns on the genes needed to make a cell a skin cell. Both liver and skin cells have a complete copy of the genome, but their transcriptomes determine which parts of the genome are activated.
Just like with DNA, RNA can be sequenced. Transcriptome sequencing can be performed to learn more about the actions of a cell and the host organism’s DNA and to identify places where the expression of genetic information goes awry. When a liver cell becomes malignant, for example, it’s because the transcriptome isn’t functioning as it should, and the genes for malignancy have turned on, or the cells lack regulation in some way, causing them to grow out of control. Sequencing the RNA in a malignant cell can help a researcher figure out which gene has been turned on or off to cause the malignancy.
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