转录组是指组织或者细胞在某一特定状态下转录出来的所有RNA的集合。高通量第2代测序技术使转录组学的研究模式发生了巨大的改变,所衍生出的转录组测序迅速成为研究非模式生物的先进技术。转录组测序能够在整体水平上探究细胞内基因表达的种类和数量,揭示在特定条件下机体生理生化发生过程以及其中的分子机理。本文简要阐述了转录组测序技术的基本概念、技术流程与原理,详细介绍了转录组测序在解决鳞翅目昆虫的分类、毒理、发育、与寄主互作以及非编码RNA调控等问题上做出的贡献,并对该技术现存的困难进行了系统的阐述并对其未来的发展趋势作出了简要的预测与剖析。
Transcriptome is the complete set of RNA transcripts in a specific type of cell or tissue under a certain stage or physiological condition. Next generation high-throughput sequencing technology has changed the study patterns of transcriptomics tremendously,from which RNA-sequencing(RNA-Seq) is derived. Next generation sequencing is rapidly becoming an advanced technology to explore genetic outlines of non-model organisms. It helps to elucidate the types and number of expressed genes comprehensively,which reveals the molecular mechanisms of physiological and biochemical processes in organisms under certain conditions. This article introduced briefly the basic concepts of transcriptome sequencing technology and technical processes,elaborated the contribution of this technology to solve problems about taxonomy,toxicology,growth and development,insect-plant interactions,and even non-coding RNA in Lepidoptera,and elucidated the current technical difficulties and the future trends of this technology.