Precise identification of genome-wide transcription start sites in bacteria by 5’-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5’-RACE)

Abstract

Transcription start sites are commonly used to locate promoter elements in bacterial genomes. TSS were previously studied one gene at a time, often through 5’-rapid amplifi cation of cDNA ends (5’-RACE). This technique has now been adapted for high-throughput sequencing and can be used to precisely identify TSS in a genome-wide fashion for practically any bacterium, which greatly contributes to our understanding of gene regulatory networks in microorganisms.