What sequencing technologies can teach us about innate immunity

For years, we have taken a reductionist approach to understanding gene regulation through the study of one gene in one cell at a time. While this approach has been fruitful it is laborious and fails to provide a global picture of what is occurring in complex situations involving tightly coordinated immune responses. The emergence of whole-genome techniques provides a system-level view of a response and can provide a plethora of information on events occurring in a cell from gene expression changes to splicing changes and chemical modifications. As with any technology, this often results in more questions than answers, but this wealth of knowledge is providing us with an unprecedented view of what occurs inside our cells during an immune response. In this review, we will discuss the current RNA-sequencing technologies and what they are helping us learn about the innate immune system.

Automated summary

For years, a reductionist approach has been used to understand gene regulation, focusing on one gene in one cell at a time. The emergence of whole-genome techniques now provides a system-level view of responses, offering a plethora of information on events occurring in cells during immune responses. RNA-sequencing technologies are helping us gain insights into the innate immune system.