EvryRNA is a Genopole computer program platform that provides analytical tools aimed at the study of non-coding ribonucleic acids (ncRNAs). Research done over the last few decades has revealed the major roles played by ncRNAs not only in biological mechanisms but also in diverse diseases including certain cancers. Under the direction of Prof. Fariza Tahi, the EvryRNA platform is a part of the IBISC laboratory (Computer Science, Bio-informatics and Complex Systems – University of Évry-Paris Saclay). EvryRNA is one of Genopole’s shared-use technological and ancillary services platforms.
Fariza Tahi’s bioinformatics team develops algorithms and computational methodologies specifically for RNA analyses. The team’s aim is to identify RNAs in genomic sequences, determine their coding or non-coding nature and predict their spatial conformation, a key aspect of RNA function. Indeed, RNA is able to fold onto and about itself thanks to the formation of hydrogen bonds between its constituent bases.
Non-coding RNA: a large field of scientific research
The last twenty years have seen the discovery of a multitude of ncRNAs that arise from genome regions long thought to be inactive because they do not code for proteins. Biologists have had a firm grasp on the roles of the non-coding ribosomal and transfer RNAs in gene translation for quite some time now. More recently they have also demonstrated essential biological roles for numerous other ncRNAs, including microRNA , small interfering RNA and long ncRNA among others. All participate in gene expression regulation and thus serve as actors in organism development, environmental adaptation, etc. They are involved not only in biological processes but also in a number of diseases, including cancers and neurodegenerative pathologies. Notably thus, a better understanding of ncRNAs could contribute to a better understanding of these diseases and potentially to the development of novel therapeutics.
EvryRNA: close to twenty freely-available interactive tools for research
To energize this scientific field, the IBISC laboratory developed a wide range of bioinformatics tools designed to meet the needs of researchers and made them freely available to these latter via the EvryRNA platform. The more recent tools are built upon such technologies or algorithmic approaches as multi-objective optimization, self-organizing maps and deep neural networks among others.
Beyond ensuring performance, the IBISC researchers also sought to make their programs interactive and easy to use. Most thus offer numerous advantages:
- an intuitive web interface;
- an easily understood graphical representation of results;
- the possibility for the user to modify parameters and re-run the model to improve its performance;
- the possibility of including datasets or biologist knowledge in the model.
A platform accredited and supported by Genopole
Genopole supports the EvryRNA platform, which serves the biocluster’s innovative therapies strategic sector. Notably, Genopole financed a €60,000 informatics infrastructure update for a compute server and disk array.
