FoldAtlas: a repository for genome-wide RNA structure probing data

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Genomics

Background:

• RNA molecules fold into secondary structures through base pairing, which can be functionally significant.
• High-throughput RNA structure chemical probing methods generate vast amounts of sequencing data for RNA secondary structure prediction.
• Accessing and analyzing processed data from these experiments currently requires significant computational expertise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present FoldAtlas, a web interface for accessing and visualizing raw and processed RNA structure probing data.
• To enable researchers to easily locate, view, and retrieve probing data for specific RNA molecules.
• To provide in silico and in vivo secondary structure predictions for comparative analysis.

Main Methods:

• Development of a web interface (FoldAtlas) for RNA structure data.
• Integration of high-depth Structure-seq data analysis from Arabidopsis thaliana.
• Visualization of RNA secondary structure predictions using circle plots and topology diagrams.

Main Results:

• FoldAtlas offers a user-friendly platform for accessing diverse RNA structural data.
• The interface facilitates easy retrieval and visualization of probing data for thousands of transcripts.
• Comparative analysis of in silico and in vivo predicted structures is supported.

Conclusions:

• FoldAtlas democratizes access to valuable RNA structure probing data.
• The platform simplifies the analysis and interpretation of RNA secondary structures.
• This resource aids researchers in exploring the functional implications of RNA folding.