Small-seq for single-cell small-RNA sequencing

Small RNAs participate in several cellular processes, including splicing, RNA modification, mRNA degradation, and translational arrest. Traditional methods for sequencing small RNAs require a large amount of cell material, limiting the possibilities for single-cell analyses. We describe Small-seq, a ligation-based method that enables the capture, sequencing, and molecular counting of small RNAs from individual mammalian cells. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for this approach that relies on standard reagents and instruments. The standard protocol captures a complex set of small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), fragments of tRNAs and small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs); however, miRNAs can be enriched through the addition of a size-selection step. Ready-to-sequence libraries can be generated in 2–3 d, starting from cell collection, with additional days needed to computationally map the sequence reads and calculate molecular counts. Faridani and colleagues describe Small-seq, a protocol for generating sequencing libraries of small RNAs from single cells.