Researchers at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic propose ways to improve read mapping accuracy and sensitivity such as modifying a reference genome at RNA editing sites, using splicing- and ambiguity-competent aligners, and masking chloroplast- or nucleus-derived sequences. They also outline modified RNA-seq methods permitting more accurate detection and quantification of partially edited sites and the identification of transcription start sites on a genome-wide scale. The application of RNA-seq goes beyond genome-wide determination of transcript levels and RNA maturation events, and emerges as an elegant resource for the comprehensive identification of editing, splicing, and transcription start sites. Thus, improved RNA-seq methods customized for plant mitochondria hold tremendous potential for advancing our understanding of plant mitochondrial evolution and cyto-nuclear interactions in a broad array of plant species.
Application of RNA-seq to the comprehensive analysis of plant mitochondrial transcriptomes
Stone JD, Storchova H. (2014) The application of RNA-seq to the comprehensive analysis of plant mitochondrial transcriptomes. Mol Genet Genomics [Epub ahead of print]. [abstract]