RNA Sequencing Market Benefits from Advancements in Sequencing Technology

An approach to transcriptome profiling, RNA sequencing is a widely used tool in genetics and genomics that can analyze the sequence and quantity of RNA in a sample using next-generation sequencing (NGS). The technique helps one investigate and discover the transcriptome (the sum of all the messenger RNA molecules expressed from genes of an organism), which gets information about the functions of genes as to which genes are turned on in a cell, when they are activated or turned off, and what their level of expression is, and so on. All this information allows scientists to comprehend a cell’s biology and identify any alteration that may indicate disease. It also assists in the study of complex events such as alternative splicing and polyadenylation.

A guest post by Sunny Yadav

The RNA sequencing market is witnessing a fast growth in recent years, owing to the growing incidence of genetic disorders, advancements in sequencing technology, increasing number of RNA-seq grants, increase in acceptance of NGS technology, and a growing number of partnerships and collaborations. Moreover, government initiatives in population sequencing and emerging markets such as China & India offer significant growth opportunities for the growth of the industry. Nonetheless, lack of skilled professionals and problems associated with storage of sequencing data restrain the market growth.

Several developments took place in the field recently. A team of scientists from the University of Chicago Medicine (UChicago) came up with a novel high-throughput RNA sequencing strategy with the aim of studying the gut microbiome. Researchers at the Stanford lab of Stephen Quake are adopting a single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in order to provide insights into food allergies and antibodies that cause them. QIAGEN, a Netherlands-based provider of sample and assay technologies for molecular diagnostics, launched a technology which allows faster and simpler library preparation for RNA sequencing.

UChicago Scientists Develop Revolutionary Strategy

Researchers at the University of Chicago recently discovered an RNA sequencing strategy for studying the activity of the gut microbiome. The strategy allows scientists to understand how tRNA changes dynamically within microbiomes and gives insights into how naturally occurring microbiomes respond to environmental changes such as temperature variation or changes in nutrient availability. The team of scientists created new tools to study transfer RNA (tRNA) in mouse gut microbiomes. According to the study, tRNA sequencing was applied to samples from the gut microbiome of mice that were on a high-fat or low-fat diet. New tools were employed to create a set of tRNA molecules from the samples. The bacteria from where the tRNA molecules originated were tracked and the post-transcriptional modifications that occurred were identified and measured. The tools used can identify two modifications in a high-throughput sequencing and analysis workflow. The level of one of the modifications was found increased in gut microbiomes of mice in a high-fat diet. For the first time scientists could notice a change in the modification level in tRNA in any microbiome.

QIAGEN Introduces a Breakthrough Technology for RNA Sequencing

QIAGEN unveiled a novel technology which facilitates faster and simpler library preparation for RNA sequencing. A prime component of this technology, the QIAseq FastSelect RNA Removal Kit allows scientists to target the types of RNA that are unrelated to their research and eliminate them from RNA-seq libraries for next-generation sequencing (NGS). According to Dr. Thomas Schweins, Senior Vice President of QIAGEN’s Life Sciences Business Area, the QIAseq FastSelect RNA Removal Kit enables faster removal of RNA types from a given sample, thus allowing scientists to achieve quality and reproducible RNA sequencing results. It also helps reduce time and cost. The kit helps to simplify and accelerate the process of RNA removal.

Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology