Next‐Generation Sequencing in Cancer: Tools for Fusion Gene Detection

Musaffe Tuna, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA

Published online: May 2015

DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0025848

Abstract

Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) technology has a striking impact on genomics research, especially in complex diseases, including cancer. NGS technology is allowing the discovery of novel genomic alterations and screening for known driver mutations and structural alterations as well as understanding interactions between gene and environmental factors. Structural alterations including translocations inversions, tandem duplications, deletions, insertions, chromothripsis and chromoplexy can result in oncogenic fusion genes or fusion transcripts, which are important in carcinogenesis. Rapid advances in NGS technology and analytical tools have allowed them to be used routinely in molecular diagnosis and personalised therapy. However, NGS technologies have significant challenges, such as analysis time, false‐positive rate and storage to be overcome in the near future. This article discusses the current analytical tools for detection of fusion genes and reviews their pros and cons.

Key Concepts

  • Fusion genes/transcripts are common events in epithelial tumours.
  • Whole‐transcriptome sequencing (RNA‐seq) is the most commonly selected method for fusion‐transcript detection.
  • Sequel algorithms are used for detection of fusion transcripts.
  • Mapping algorithms and filtering are crucial for detection of true fusion transcripts.
  • Current fusion‐detection tools yield false‐positive and false‐negative results.

Keywords: next‐generation sequencing; fusion transcript; RNA‐seq; whole‐genome sequencing; fusion‐detection tools

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Further Reading

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Related Sub-Topics:

Cancer Genetics | Epigenetics and Disease | Gene and Genome Structure and Organisation
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Article Title: Next‐Generation Sequencing in Cancer: Tools for Fusion Gene Detection
 
How to Cite close
Tuna, Musaffe(May 2015) Next‐Generation Sequencing in Cancer: Tools for Fusion Gene Detection. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0025848]