RNA-Seq: a revolutionary tool for transcriptomics

The development of high-throughput DNA sequencing methods provides a new method for mapping and quantifying transcriptomes — RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). This article explains how RNA-Seq works, the challenges it faces and how it is changing our view of eukaryotic transcriptomes. RNA-Seq is a recently developed approach to transcriptome profiling that uses deep-sequencing technologies. Studies using this method have already altered our view of the extent and complexity of eukaryotic transcriptomes. RNA-Seq also provides a far more precise measurement of levels of transcripts and their isoforms than other methods. This article describes the RNA-Seq approach, the challenges associated with its application, and the advances made so far in characterizing several eukaryote transcriptomes.