Classical and emerging techniques to identify and quantify localized RNAs

In essentially every cell, proteins are asymmetrically distributed according to their function. For many genes, this protein sorting problem is solved by transporting RNA molecules encoding the protein, rather than the protein itself, to the desired subcellular location. The protein is then translated on-site to immediately produce a correctly localized protein. This strategy is widely used as thousands of RNAs localize to distinct locations across diverse cell types and species. One of the fundamental challenges to study this process is the determination of the subcellular spatial distribution of any given RNA. The number of tools available for the study of RNA localization, from classical and state-of-the-art methods for the visualization of individual RNA molecules within cells to the profiling of localized transcriptomes, is rapidly growing. These include imaging-based approaches, a variety of biochemical and mechanical fractionation techniques, and proximity-labeling methods. These procedures allow for both the detailed study of the molecular requirements for the localization of individual RNA molecules and computational studies of RNA transport on a genomic scale. Together, they have the ability to allow insight into the regulatory principles that govern the localization of diverse RNAs. These new techniques provide the framework for integrating our knowledge of the regulation of RNA localization with that of other posttranscriptional processes. This article is categorized under: RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications RNA Methods > RNA Analyses in Cells.