DALLAS: A new way of mapping the “transcriptome” — the collection of RNA read-outs that are expressed by a cell’s active genes — has been devised by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. RNA is both the molecular bridge between DNA and the production of proteins that carry out the functions of life and the molecular toolbox that collectively helps those proteins do their work. As such, RNA exists in a variety of forms, each with a particular role and purpose, not all of which are fully understood.
Using the new method to shed additional light on the role of RNAs in cells, the team identified RNA variants in mammals that had been largely invisible to previous techniques. The researchers also demonstrated that these “dark” variations in RNA are strikingly common in mammalian cells and likely have roles in gene regulation across tissues, development, and in human diseases. The team plans to perform the analyses using the now-free software to interrogate aberrant cells in neurodegenerative disorders, cancers, and other illnesses…..