Discovery of protein–RNA networks

Coding and non-coding RNAs associate with proteins to perform important functions in the cell. Protein–RNA complexes are essential components of the ribosomal and spliceosomal machinery; they are involved in epigenetic regulation and form non-membrane-bound aggregates known as granules. Despite the functional importance of ribonucleoprotein interactions, the precise mechanisms of macromolecular recognition are still poorly understood. Here, we present the latest developments in experimental and computational investigation of protein–RNA interactions. We compare performances of different algorithms and discuss how predictive models allow the large-scale investigation of ribonucleoprotein associations. Specifically, we focus on approaches to decipher mechanisms regulating the activity of transcripts in protein networks. Finally, the catRAPID omics express method is introduced for the analysis of protein–RNA expression networks.