logo
AAT Bioquest

What are the applications of RNA-seq?

Posted March 3, 2022


Answer

RNA-seq allows scientists to detect which genes are turned on in a cell, at what times they are activated or shut off, and their level of transcription. This helps in better understanding the biology of a cell and assessing deviations that may indicate disease. Applications of RNA-seq include:

  • Differential gene expression analysis, which involves comparing transcriptomes across various developmental stages, disease conditions, and treatments. This helps scientists learn more about the biological mechanisms of development and disease.
  • Identification of variants and allele-specific expression, which facilitates identification of common disease variants, including single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and allele-specific expression (ASE).
  • Profiling of small RNA, which play key roles in a wide range of biological processes including cell proliferation, cell differentiation, development, and apoptosis.  
  • Characterization of alternative splicing patterns, which leads to a better understanding of development and human diseases.
  • System biology is a process based on the understanding that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts. It involves gaining further insight into an experimental system by studying the expression fluctuations of sets of genes.
Additional resources

Advanced Applications of RNA Sequencing and Challenges

Cell Navigator™ Live Cell RNA Imaging Kit *Green Fluorescence*