What is small RNA?
Two major types of small RNAs (21 to 24 nucleotides in size), known as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs) are present in a wide variety of eukaryotic organisms. Small RNAs play important regulatory roles in most eukaryotes but only a small proportion of these molecules have been identified. In order to investigate the full complexity of small RNAs, we adapted the different technologies (starting with the older “MPSS”) for the sequencing of these molecules and have demonstrated the technology in Arabidopsis. Most of the different sequences represent small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that match repetitive sequences, intergenic regions, and genes. We have now made the small RNA data available on our website, indicated by black triangles, and we have indicated repeats shown as colored blocks in the background of the viewer. We hope that you find this to be a useful addition to the Arabidopsis genomic data. The small RNAs are visible through all of our normal visualizatio
