Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of selectively labeling non-messenger RNA molecules by isolating total RNA from a tissue or cell, dissolving the isolated RNA, blocking the 3? end of the RNA and adding T4 RNA ligase and a labeled nucleic acid adaptor. With the results that the T4 RNA ligase ligates the adaptor only to RNA having a 5? phosphate group and only small RNA are labeled. A method of labeling the 5? end of mRNA isolates total RNA from a tissue or cell, dissolving RNA in RNase-free water, removing a 5? cap structure from the mRNA using tobacco acid pyrophosphatase (TAP), removing the TAP, blocking the 3? end of the RNA molecules; and ligating an adaptor to the RNA by adding T4 RNA ligase and a labeled DNA or RNA adaptor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of selectively labeling non-messenger RNA molecules by isolating total RNA from a tissue or cell, dissolving the isolated RNA, optionally blocking 3? ends of the RNA, and adding T4 RNA ligase and a labeled nucleic acid adaptor, with the result that the T4 RNA ligase ligates the adaptor to RNA having a 5? phosphate group such as small RNAs. A method of labeling the 5? end of mRNA isolates total RNA from a tissue or cell; dissolves RNA in RNase-free water; removes a 5? cap structure from the mRNA using tobacco acid pyrophosphatase (TAP); removes the TAP; optionally blocks the 3? end of the RNA molecules using TdT with ddA, ddT, ddG, ddC or a combination thereof; and ligates an adaptor to the RNA by adding T4 RNA ligase and a labeled DNA or RNA adaptor. A method of amplifying and labeling noncapped RNAs and/or capped RNAs is useful in expression analysis of the whole-genome transcripts from cells and tissues.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of selectively labeling non-messenger RNA molecules by isolating total RNA from a tissue or cell, dissolving the isolated RNA, blocking the 3? end of the RNA and adding T4 RNA ligase and a labeled nucleic acid adaptor. With the results that the T4 RNA ligase ligates the adaptor only to RNA having a 5? phosphate group and only small RNA are labeled. A method of labeling the 5? end of mRNA isolates total RNA from a tissue or cell, dissolving RNA in RNase-free water, removing a 5? cap structure from the mRNA using tobacco acid pyrophosphatase (TAP), removing the TAP, blocking the 3? end of the RNA molecules; and ligating an adaptor to the RNA by adding T4 RNA ligase and a labeled DNA or RNA adaptor.