Click chemistry–based RNA sequencing captures bursts of transcription

There are only about 20,000 different genes in the human genome , yet our bodies are filled with an incredible diversity of cell types performing innumerable functions. The key to that diversity in form and function relies on differences in how those genes are expressed. Now, scientists are one step closer to understanding how gene expression is regulated. MIT researchers have developed a new technique using click chemistry to capture which genes are in the process of being transcribed in single cells, which they say could be the key to better understanding and treating some genetic diseases ( Nature 2024, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07517-7 ). RNA transcription isn't a fully continuous process; instead it often occurs in short bursts where, at one moment, a gene may be highly expressed, but at another time, that gene may not be expressed at all. The timing of these transcriptional bursts is tightly coordinated with the