What is a ‘pantranscriptome’?

Source: The post is based on the article “What is a ‘pantranscriptome’?” published in The Hindu on 23rd January 2023.

What is the News?

Researchers at UC Santa Cruz(UCSC) have now reported on what they suggest is the first-ever method for analyzing RNA sequencing data genome-wide using a “pantranscriptome”.

What is Pantranscriptome?

Pan-transcriptome is a combination of a transcriptome and a pan-genome. It is a reference that contains genetic material from a cohort of diverse individuals, rather than just a single linear strand.

How does Pantranscriptome work?

The pantranscriptome-concept builds on the emerging concept of “pangenomics” in the genomics field. 

Typically, when evaluating an individual’s genomic data for variation, scientists compare the individual’s genome to that of a reference made up of a single, linear strand of DNA bases. 

Using a pangenome allows researchers to compare an individual’s genome to that of a genetically diverse cohort of reference sequences all at once, sourced from individuals representing a diversity of biogeographic ancestry. 

This gives the scientists more points of comparison for which to better understand an individual’s genomic variation.

What is Transcriptome?

Transcriptome represents all the RNA molecules present in a species or in an organism. Mapping this allows researchers to better understand an individual’s gene expression.