RNA sequencing determines the nucleotide sequence in RNA, which contains genetic information used to make proteins or perform specific functions. Scientists sequence DNA more often, but RNA sequencing is important to discover the precise genetic code and examine unused segments of genetic information. Reverse transcription is often necessary, but researchers aim to develop direct sequencing methods. High-throughput methods are also desired to sequence many RNA strands in one process.
RNA sequencing is the process of determining the sequence of nucleotides in a strand of ribonucleic acid, or RNA. RNA is made up of four nucleotides called adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (S) and uracil (S). The particular nucleotide sequence is a “code” containing genetic information used to make different types of proteins or to perform a specific function on its own. Genetic codes in the form of nucleotide sequences define almost all biological processes involving the development and function of an organism. RNA sequencing, therefore, is a type of research aimed at discovering the precise nature of that genetic code and connecting the code to specific structures and functions within an organism.
Scientists sequence deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, far more often than they sequence RNA. DNA is similarly made up of nucleotides, but they are arranged in a double helix. RNA “transcripts” are actually made based on the sequence of nucleotides on a strand of DNA: DNA tends to be more robust than RNA because many strands of RNA must be made up of a single DNA sequence. In addition, DNA contains “introns” or non-coding segments of DNA, which are removed during the transcription process and, therefore, are not detected by RNA sequencing. RNA sequencing is still important, although in many cases it is necessary to first “reverse transcribe” the RNA into DNA before sequencing it.
The fact that an RNA sequence is not necessarily the same as the DNA sequence from which it was transcribed is one of the main reasons scientists actually conduct RNA sequencing experiments. RNA sequencing allows scientists to find out which parts of a DNA template were eliminated during transcription. Knowing this, they can then examine how and why the sequence was changed. One of the interesting problems in biology is the fact that much of the genome, or summation of genetic information within an organism, appears to go unused. Learning exactly which sequences are used and which are not is an important step in exploring the intricacies of these unused segments of genetic information.
The development of more efficient and effective methods of RNA sequencing is a major goal of many biotechnology researchers. Researchers generally have to reverse transcribe RNA into DNA before actually taking the sequence. The researchers want to develop methods that allow efficient direct sequencing of RNA without damaging the RNA strands. Furthermore, the researchers want to find high-throughput methods that allow them to sequence many RNA strands during one RNA sequencing process.
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