Targeted RNA sequencing for gene discovery and quantification. Homo sapiens

Due to the large size, complex splicing and wide dynamic range of eukaryotic transcriptomes, RNA sequencing samples the majority of expressed genes infrequently, resulting in sparse sequencing coverage that can hinder robust isoform assembly and quantification. Targeted RNA sequencing addresses this challenge by using oligonucleotide probes to capture selected genes or regions of interest for focused sequencing. This enhanced sequencing coverage confers sensitive gene discovery, robust transcript assembly and accurate gene quantification. Here we describe a detailed protocol for all stages of targeted RNA sequencing, from initial probe design considerations, capture of targeted genes, to final assembly and quantification of captured transcripts. Initial probe design and final analysis can take less than a day, while the central experimental capture stage requires ~7 days. Overall design: Targetted RNA sequencing of long noncoding RNAs