RNA-Seq
RNA-Seq (RNA sequencing) is a high-throughput sequencing technique used to analyze the transcriptome of biological samples, quantifying RNA molecules to study gene expression, alternative splicing, and novel transcripts. It involves converting RNA into complementary DNA (cDNA), sequencing it, and mapping reads to a reference genome or assembling them de novo. This method provides a comprehensive view of RNA dynamics, enabling insights into cellular processes, disease mechanisms, and functional genomics.
Developers should learn RNA-Seq when working in bioinformatics, computational biology, or data science roles focused on genomics, as it is essential for analyzing gene expression patterns in research, diagnostics, and drug development. It is used in applications like identifying differentially expressed genes in cancer studies, profiling non-coding RNAs, and validating hypotheses in molecular biology experiments. Mastery of RNA-Seq allows for handling large-scale sequencing data, integrating with other omics data, and contributing to precision medicine initiatives.