GlycoRNA Sequencing (small RNA)
Sequencing of glycosylated small RNA: which small RNA species carry glycan-associated signal, and how that set of species changes between samples.
01What the service reports
GlycoRNA Sequencing resolves which glycosylated small RNA species are present in a sample: miRNA-scale and other short RNAs that carry a glycan signal. The readout is the identity of those species, compared across samples.
The service works inside the small RNA length class, which is the class this line covers. Small glycosylated RNA is prepared and read through its own library route, and what comes back is species-level information rather than a nucleotide modification map.
Arraystar runs RNA QC, library preparation for the small RNA route, sequencing and bioinformatics, and returns the glycosylated species list with comparative notes across samples.
02Benefits
- Species-level readout: the question is which RNA molecules carry the glycan signal, not only whether a bulk signal exists.
- Built for the small RNA class: library preparation follows the small RNA route, so miRNA-scale and other short glycoRNAs are read in their own length class rather than being forced through a long-RNA design.
- Native glycan focus: detection is organized around the glycan on the RNA.
- Links screening to biology: species lists can be compared with array shortlists and blotting size patterns on matched samples.
- Names to act on: species are returned as a ranked list with comparative notes across samples, so the next experiment can be aimed at named molecules instead of a class.
| Service Name | RNA Class | Price |
|---|---|---|
| GlycoRNA Sequencing (small RNA) | Glycosylated small RNA (human / mouse / rat) |
03Background and use
Once a sample is known to carry glycoRNA signal, the next question is which species carry it. Length class matters, because long and small glycosylated RNA are prepared and read through different library routes. This service covers the small RNA side, so a study working on miRNA-scale and other short glycoRNAs reads them in the class they belong to.
The sequencing line complements array screening and blotting. The array ranks targets; sequencing names species; blotting shows the population and size pattern of the glycoRNA signal as a class.
What the readout is not: the species list is not a nucleotide modification map, and it does not give the position of the glycan along a molecule. Base-level chemistry and single-base sequencing answer a different question, on the marks listed on the modification types page.
04Workflow
From sample to glycosylated species list:
- RNA sample QC and a check that the small RNA fraction is workable.
- Library preparation for the small RNA glycoRNA route.
- Sequencing of the glycoRNA library.
- Bioinformatics to identify candidate glycosylated species in the small RNA class.
- Comparative notes across samples or conditions.
05Analysis and deliverables
Reads are processed to recover candidate glycosylated small RNA species and compared across the sample set.
Deliverables
- Candidate glycosylated small RNA species list
- Comparative summary across samples or conditions
- Notes linking species to array or blotting observations when those are in the project
- Structured project report
06Research applications
- Which species change: the glycosylated species present in a treated series against its control, read inside the small RNA class.
- Small RNA under a perturbation: whether the glycosylated small RNA set responds to a treatment, a stage or a genotype, and which species carry most of the change.
- Aimed follow-up: choosing which species are worth taking into blotting, qPCR or functional work.
07Sample requirements
Total RNA is the accepted input, and the small RNA fraction is what the library is built from. 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 RNA classes does this service cover?
Glycosylated small RNA: miRNA-scale and other short RNAs that carry a glycan signal. Length class decides the library route, and this service is built for the small RNA side, so the species list stays inside that class rather than mixing short and long transcripts.
Does this call nucleotide modifications?
No. The service reports which glycosylated small RNA species are present in the sample. Base-level chemical modification mapping is a separate line of work with its own services, and it answers a question about nucleotides rather than about which molecules carry a glycan.
When should sequencing follow an array screen?
When the screen has narrowed which targets look interesting and the study now needs to know which species carry the signal rather than only that panel signal changed. Reading the two on the same or matched material is what keeps the shortlist and the species list comparable.
Which research questions fit this readout?
The identity of the glycosylated small RNA species in a sample, how that set changes with a treatment, a stage or a genotype, and which species carry most of the change. A study that starts from an array shortlist usually uses this route to name the species behind a panel signal.
Can this be combined with the other GlycoRNA routes?
Yes, on matched total RNA. The array ranks panel targets, sequencing names the small RNA species behind a signal, and blotting shows the population and size pattern of glycoRNA in the sample. Reading them on the same material is what makes the three results comparable.
09References
- Internal service overview: GlycoRNA Sequencing (small RNA).