Join with a free account for more service, or become a member for full access to exclusives and extra support of WorldSupporter >>
Transcriptomics is the field of science devoted to studying the transcriptome. The transcriptome is the entire collection of RNA molecules within a cell, tissue, or organism at a specific point in time. It essentially represents a snapshot of the genes that are currently being expressed, offering a deeper understanding of cellular activity.
What are the key features of transcriptomics?
- Comprehensiveness: Unlike genomics, which focuses on DNA, transcriptomics considers both coding and non-coding RNAs, providing a broader picture of gene activity.
- Dynamism: The transcriptome is constantly changing based on a cell's needs and external stimuli. This allows researchers to see how genes are regulated in real-time.
- Specificity: Techniques like RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) enable researchers to identify and quantify specific RNA molecules, offering a highly detailed analysis.
What is the importance of transcriptomics?
- Understanding Diseases: By analyzing changes in gene expression during disease development, researchers can identify potential drug targets and biomarkers for diagnosis.
- Developing New Therapies: Transcriptomics helps understand how organisms respond to drugs, leading to the development of personalized medicine approaches.
- Basic Biological Research: It sheds light on fundamental cellular processes like development, differentiation, and response to environmental cues.
What are the applications of transcriptomics in practice?
- Cancer Research: Identifying genes involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis.
- Neurobiology: Understanding how genes influence brain function and behavior.
- Pharmacology: Investigating the mechanisms of drug action and potential side effects.
- Agriculture: Developing crops with improved yield, stress tolerance, and nutritional value.
Practical example
Let's say researchers are investigating a new drug for Alzheimer's disease. They can use transcriptomics to compare gene expression in healthy brain cells versus those affected by Alzheimer's. This can reveal changes in genes associated with memory, inflammation, or other processes relevant to the disease.
Critical remarks
- Data Complexity: Analyzing transcriptomics data requires sophisticated bioinformatics tools and expertise.
- Limited Understanding: The function of many non-coding RNAs remains unknown, making it challenging to fully interpret transcriptome data.
- Ethical Considerations: Transcriptomics can raise ethical concerns regarding privacy and the use of genetic information.
Genomics: The best concepts summarized
Genomics: The best concepts summarized
A short introduction to the best concepts of genomics: From chromatides to transcriptomics
Study Guide with flashcards and definitions with Genomics at Utrecht University
Flashcards and definitions with Genomics
Online flashcards with Genomics
- Centromere
- Chromatides
- Chromosomes
- Sex chromosomes
- Asexual reproduction
- Sexual reproduction
- Mitosis
- Meiosis
- Genomics
- Transcriptomics
- Proteomics
- Metabolomics
- Plasmid
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Next Generation Sequencing
- Sanger sequencing
- RNA-sequencing
- CRISPR-Cas9
- Forward genetic screens
- Reverse genetic screens
- RNA interference
- Bioinformatics
- DNA replication
- DNA mutation
- Evolution
- Horizontal gene transfer (HGT)
- Virus
- Microsatellites
- Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST)
- Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable data (FAIR data)
- Phylogenetic tree
- Insertion
- Deletion
- For flashcards and definitions, see the supporting content of this study guide
Summaries and Study Assistance - Start
Summaries, study notes, tips and tools for study and know how
For optimal and free use of summaries, study help, exam tickets, practice exams, bullet points notes
- join JoHo WorldSupporter
- then check the study and exam tips;
- study the material through the summaries;
- repeat the material through the bullets or notes
- master the material through the practice exams.
JoHo can really use your help! Check out the various student jobs here that match your studies, improve your competencies, strengthen your CV and contribute to a more tolerant world
Online access to all summaries, study notes en practice exams
- Check out: Register with JoHo WorldSupporter: starting page (EN)
- Check out: Aanmelden bij JoHo WorldSupporter - startpagina (NL)
How and why would you use WorldSupporter.org for your summaries and study assistance?
- For free use of many of the summaries and study aids provided or collected by your fellow students.
- For free use of many of the lecture and study group notes, exam questions and practice questions.
- For use of all exclusive summaries and study assistance for those who are member with JoHo WorldSupporter with online access
- For compiling your own materials and contributions with relevant study help
- For sharing and finding relevant and interesting summaries, documents, notes, blogs, tips, videos, discussions, activities, recipes, side jobs and more.
Using and finding summaries, study notes en practice exams on JoHo WorldSupporter
There are several ways to navigate the large amount of summaries, study notes en practice exams on JoHo WorldSupporter.
- Use the menu above every page to go to one of the main starting pages
- Starting pages: for some fields of study and some university curricula editors have created (start) magazines where customised selections of summaries are put together to smoothen navigation. When you have found a magazine of your likings, add that page to your favorites so you can easily go to that starting point directly from your profile during future visits. Below you will find some start magazines per field of study
- Use the topics and taxonomy terms
- The topics and taxonomy of the study and working fields gives you insight in the amount of summaries that are tagged by authors on specific subjects. This type of navigation can help find summaries that you could have missed when just using the search tools. Tags are organised per field of study and per study institution. Note: not all content is tagged thoroughly, so when this approach doesn't give the results you were looking for, please check the search tool as back up
- Check or follow your (study) organizations:
- by checking or using your study organizations you are likely to discover all relevant study materials.
- this option is only available trough partner organizations
- Check or follow authors or other WorldSupporters
- by following individual users, authors you are likely to discover more relevant study materials.
- Use the Search tools
- 'Quick & Easy'- not very elegant but the fastest way to find a specific summary of a book or study assistance with a specific course or subject.
- The search tool is also available at the bottom of most pages
Do you want to share your summaries with JoHo WorldSupporter and its visitors?
- Check out: Why and how to add a WorldSupporter contributions
- JoHo members: JoHo WorldSupporter members can share content directly and have access to all content: Join JoHo and become a JoHo member
- Non-members: When you are not a member you do not have full access, but if you want to share your own content with others you can fill out the contact form
Quicklinks to fields of study for summaries and study assistance
Field of study
- All studies for summaries, study assistance and working fields
- Communication & Media sciences
- Corporate & Organizational Sciences
- Cultural Studies & Humanities
- Economy & Economical sciences
- Education & Pedagogic Sciences
- Health & Medical Sciences
- IT & Exact sciences
- Law & Justice
- Nature & Environmental Sciences
- Psychology & Behavioral Sciences
- Public Administration & Social Sciences
- Science & Research
- Technical Sciences
Add new contribution