Characterising the human epitranscriptome using catalysis-dependent RIP-Seq approaches

几十年来，人们已经知道DNA和RNA分子中的结构单元（称为碱基）可以被化学修饰。在DNA中，这种修饰的发生和生物学功能一直是生物科学研究的一个重要领域，具有深远的影响。与此形成鲜明对比的是，RNA修饰的研究进展一直非常令人失望，这是特别不幸的，因为这些修饰实际上已知比DNA中更普遍和化学复杂;许多催化RNA修饰的酶与人类疾病有关，这表明了重要的生物学作用。这种缓慢进展的主要原因是由于RNA修饰的类似详细研究在技术上非常困难。然而，近年来，DNA/RNA测序技术取得了重大进展，这使得RNA修饰能够以阐明生物学功能所需的细节进行鉴定。第一个这样的研究是在2012年描述的，事实上，我们现在才开始意识到这种研究在生物科学研究中提供的潜在范围。然而，该研究领域仍处于非常早期的阶段，需要实验室之间的大量协同努力，以提供这些RNA修饰的详细图谱，优选地提供关于哪些细胞酶催化修饰的信息。这里提出的研究将在这方面为这一领域作出重大贡献。

It has for decades been known that the building blocks, known as bases, within DNA and RNA molecules can be chemically modified. In DNA, the occurrence and biological function of such modifications has been a fundamentally important area of biosciences research with far-reaching impact. In stark contrast, the progress for research into RNA modifications has been very disappointing which is especially unfortunate as these modifications are actually known to be more prevalent and chemically complex than in DNA; and many of the enzymes that catalyse the RNA modifications have been linked with human disease, suggesting important biological roles. The primary reason for this slow progress has been due to the fact that similar detailed studies of RNA modifications have been technically very difficult. However in recent years, major advances in DNA/RNA sequencing techniques have been made that has allowed RNA modifications to be identified in the detail required to elucidate biological function. The first such studies were described in 2012 and indeed we are just now beginning to realise the potential scope offered by such investigations in biosciences research. The research field is however still in its very early stages and a massive concerted effort is required between laboratories in order to provide detailed maps of these RNA modifications, with preferably information regarding which cellular enzymes catalyse the modifications. The studies proposed here will provide major contributions to the field in this regard.