Transcriptomics

Transcriptomics is the study of the transcriptome, the complete set of RNA transcripts that are produced by the genome, under specific circumstances or in a specific cell using high-throughput methods, such as microarray analysis. Next to proteomics, it is the next step in the study of biological systems after genomics. This knowledge can be used in many different ways, such as classifying diseases, monitoring disease states, and predicting the efficacy of drug treatments.

Overview

The transcriptome can be seen as a subset of the proteome, that is, the entire set of proteins expressed by a genome. However, the analysis of relative mRNA expression levels can be complicated by the fact that relatively small changes in mRNA expression can produce large changes in the total amount of the corresponding protein present in the cell.

Techniques

Several techniques allow the study of the transcriptome, including DNA microarray, RNA-Seq, Massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS), Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE), Cap analysis gene expression (CAGE), and RNA fingerprinting.

Applications

Transcriptomics technologies are used in various applications such as the identification of genes associated with diseases, monitoring of drug responses, and the study of developmental processes.

See also

• Genomics
• Proteomics
• Metabolomics
• Interactomics