Generation of a large catalog of unique transcripts for whole-genome expression analysis in non-model species

Next-generation sequencing technologies have allowed new tools to be developed for transcriptomecharacterization.We describe here the methods for the preparation of a library from pooled RNAs for 454 sequencingof 3¢-cDNA fragments. We also describe how the read sequences obtained can be used to generate,through de novo reads assembly, a large catalog of unique transcripts in organisms for which a comprehensivecollection of transcripts or the complete genome sequence is not available. Finally, this catalogcan be used efficiently to design oligonucleotide probes for setting up a comprehensive microarray forglobal analysis of gene expression.