GlycoRNA Array
Array-based screening of glycosylated RNA targets: which molecules in the sample carry a glycan signal, and how that signal shifts between conditions.
01What the service reports
GlycoRNA Array screens a defined panel of RNA targets for glycan-associated signal. The readout is which panel members carry signal in a sample and how that signal compares between samples or conditions.
Glycosylation is read through the sugar on the RNA, not through a change in a base, so this line sits apart from chemical modification sequencing. The array is a screening step: it narrows which molecules look interesting before sequencing or blotting on the same material.
Arraystar runs sample QC, hybridization and detection, and returns comparative signal values for the panel, so a study can decide which targets deserve follow-up.
02Benefits
- Panel-level screening: many candidate molecules are compared in one run instead of one target at a time.
- Condition contrasts: signal values can be compared across treatments, time points or sample groups.
- Native glycan readout: detection follows the glycan on the RNA rather than a nucleotide conversion.
- Feeds the next step: shortlists move naturally into GlycoRNA Sequencing or GlycoRNA Blotting on matched samples.
- One panel, many glycoRNA classes: the panel covers glycosylated Y-RNA and its fragments, tRNA, tsRNA (tiRNA and tRF), pre-miRNA, miRNA, snRNA, snoRNA and rRNA, so a broad set of glycan-carrying candidates is read in a single hybridisation.
| Service Name | RNA Class | Price |
|---|---|---|
| GlycoRNA Array | Total RNA (human / mouse / rat) |
03Background and use
A glycoRNA carries a glycan attached to the RNA. Screening asks which panel members show that signal and whether the pattern moves with the biological comparison. That question is different from asking which nucleotide is chemically modified, so the chemistry and the controls are chosen for glycan detection rather than for base conversion.
Array screening is most useful when the candidate list is wide and the sample set is large. It reports relative signal on the panel; identity and size of the glycosylated species are answered by sequencing or blotting.
What the readout is not: signal is recorded per panel member and per sample, so the array does not place the glycan at a position along the RNA, and it is not a transcriptome-wide inventory of every glycosylated molecule. Those questions belong to GlycoRNA Sequencing or GlycoRNA Blotting on matched material.
04Workflow
From sample to comparative panel signal:
- RNA sample QC before hybridization.
- Hybridization of the GlycoRNA Array panel.
- Glycan-directed detection on the array.
- Signal readout and normalization across the sample set.
- Comparative report of which panel members carry signal and how they differ.
05Analysis and deliverables
Panel signals are normalized and compared across samples so that targets that move can be ranked for follow-up.
Deliverables
- Panel signal table for each sample
- Comparative summary across conditions or groups
- Shortlist notes for sequencing or blotting follow-up
- Structured project report
06Research applications
- Which glycoRNA classes move: compare the glycan signal of tRNA-derived fragments, miRNA, Y-RNA and the other panel classes between a treated series and its control.
- Condition series and cohorts: many samples read on one panel, to see whether the glycoRNA pattern tracks with a stage, a treatment or a genotype.
- Choosing what to resolve next: the ranked shortlist decides which candidates are worth taking into GlycoRNA Sequencing or GlycoRNA Blotting.
07Sample requirements
Total RNA is the accepted input. Quality thresholds are listed below; handling notes are confirmed at project start.
| Sample type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total RNA | OD 260/280 ≥ 1.8 and RIN ≥ 7, with no visible degradation. Submit more than 5 µg total RNA. |
| Cultured cells | Cell pellets are preferred. |
| Tissue | Fresh or frozen specimens; avoid necrotic material. |
| Whole blood | EDTA tubes only; heparin is not compatible with the downstream procedure. |
08FAQ
Which glycoRNAs does the panel cover?
The panel covers glycosylated Y-RNA and Y-RNA fragments, tRNA, tsRNA (tiRNA and tRF), pre-miRNA, miRNA, snRNA and its fragments, snoRNA and its fragments, and rRNA fragments. Signal is read for those panel members, so the result is a class-level comparison rather than a list of every glycosylated molecule.
Does the array read the glycan or the RNA sequence?
The glycan. Detection follows the sugar on the RNA rather than a change in a base, which is why the chemistry and the controls differ from chemical modification arrays. What comes back for each panel member is comparative signal between samples, not an absolute amount of glycosylated RNA.
Can the array place the glycan on a specific position?
No. Signal is recorded per panel member and per sample, so the array does not locate a position along the RNA. Position and size questions move to GlycoRNA Sequencing or GlycoRNA Blotting, which are read on the same or on matched material.
Can a treated series be compared with its control on one run?
Yes, and that is the comparison the layout is built for: treatments, time points and cohorts are read on the same panel, and the report ranks which panel members differ between groups. Handling treated and control samples as one batch is what keeps the comparison interpretable.
What usually follows the array?
GlycoRNA Blotting shows the population and size pattern of glycoRNA in a sample, and GlycoRNA Sequencing resolves which species carry the signal. Both are read on the same or matched material, which is what keeps the array shortlist and the follow-up results comparable.
09References
- Internal service overview: GlycoRNA Array — array-based screening of glycosylated RNA targets.