3' mRNA-seq is a quantitative, genome-wide transcriptomic technique based on the barcoding of the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of mRNA molecules.
[2] Some 3' mRNA-seq technologies, like Bulk RNA Barcoding and Sequencing (BRB-seq) commercialized by Alithea Genomics further streamline the library preparation process by pooling up to 384 samples very early in the workflow for a cost per sample tantamount to profiling four individual genes using conventional qRT-PCR, in a workflow requiring less than two and a half hours hands-on time.
Subsequent iterations and refinements of the method now often include combinations of UMIs and sample barcodes, with workflows optimized specifically for early multiplexing, and suitable for ultra-high-throughput sequencing experiments.
For instance, BRB-seq is up to 25 times cheaper than Illumina TruSeq stranded mRNA library preparations, with a cost equivalent to assessing four genes by RT-qPCR.
[2] However, as only the 3' region of mRNA molecules are sequenced, 3' mRNA-seq methods are not suitable for the analysis of full-length transcripts, splice variants, fusion genes, or RNA editing.