What is a ‘pantranscriptome’?

• A new study published in the journal Nature Methods, has proposed a “pan transcriptome,” which combines a transcriptome and a pangenome— a reference that contains genetic material from a cohort of diverse individuals, rather than just a single linear strand.

About Pan Transcriptome:

• Using a reference genome from a single organismis not reliable and there exists considerable variation in the intra-specie genomes.
• This gave birth to the pan- genomics, which divides the genome of the specie into three parts, core genome, dispensable genome, and unique genes.
• Transcriptome represents all the RNA molecules present in a specie or in an organism.
• Building a pan-transcriptome is necessary for studying and analyzing complex genomes and variations between species.

 How it works:

• RNA’s most commonly recognized function is to translate DNA into proteins, but scientists now understand that the vast majority of RNA does not make proteins, but instead can play roles such as influencing cell structure or regulating genes.
• 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.