Identifying RBP targets with RIP-seq

Throughout their lifetime RNA molecules interact with a variety of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). RBPs control gene expression by regulating splicing, polyadenylation, editing, transport, stability, and translation of RNA. There are ~1500 RBPs encoded by the human genome and recent studies have detected ~1100 proteins directly interacting with polyadenylated RNA. Identifying the RNAs bound by RBPs will continue to provide important insights into the regulation of gene expression.