Statistics Seminar - 09/13/22

Abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) is a method of gene silencing used in research, medicine, and agriculture. In animals there are three main classes of small RNAs: microRNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). While RNAi performance is well-understood in humans and model organisms, efficacy can vary significantly by species, requiring customization in different animals. This represents a major challenge as classic genetic approaches are often unavailable to characterize the behavior of RNAi in non-model organisms. Fortunately, this void can be filled with RNA sequencing approaches that target the small RNA effectors of RNAi (miRNAs, siRNAs, and piRNAs). To maximize insight gained from sequencing we have developed an R package called MiSiPi that offers holistic analysis of small RNA classes present in a target species or tissue. Various computational tools have been developed for this purpose; however, no comprehensive software exists to convert sequencing data from a locus of interest into figures and statistics which indicate the nature of said locus. Through our easy-to-use and efficient R package a researcher to choose the appropriate RNAi tactic for their target species. Anti-crop pest RNAi approaches are expected to be accelerated specifically by MiSiPi as invertebrate pests have more elaborate and divergent RNAi biology.