Expanding toolkit for RNP granule transcriptomics

Abstract

Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules—membraneless organelles formed through the condensation of RNA and proteins—play pivotal roles in diverse biological processes and diseases, opening new directions in molecular biology. Identifying the RNA composition of these granules is crucial for understanding their formation and functions. However, conventional approaches based on the simple immunoprecipitation of specific granule markers struggle to capture the precise nature of RNP granules. This review summarizes recent advances in granule transcriptome analysis, including the use of purification strategies, such as centrifugation and fluorescence-activated particle sorting, as well as proximity labeling techniques, which may help to increase the understanding of RNP granule biology.