RNA-Seq is fast becoming the top method for examining the transcriptional activity of genomes. In the five years since the first publications described the technology, RNA-Seq has enabled the discovery of new transcripts in well-studied genomes, challenged our views of imprinting, offered insights into the biology of cancer, and transformed new species into viable model organisms.

The last major review of RNA-Seq came from Wang, Gerstein, and Snyder in 2009, less than a year after the technique was first described. Here, I present an updated review of the RNA-Seq field, from 2008 to present, in the form of an interactive timeline. I focus on proof-of-principle papers that introduced new techniques and important discoveries utilizing RNA-Seq technology.

Kate Blair