A spectral analysis approach to detects actively translated open reading frames in high resolution ribosome profiling data

RNA sequencing protocols allow for quantifying gene expression regulation at each individual step, from transcription to protein synthesis. Ribosome Profiling (Ribo-seq) maps the positions of translating ribosomes over the entire transcriptome. Despite its great potential, a rigorous statistical approach to identify translated regions from Ribo-seq data is not yet available. To fill this gap, we developed RiboTaper, which quantifies the significance of the three-nucleotide periodicity of Ribo-seq reads via spectral analysis methods. Examination of RNA fragments protected by ribosome