Quality control (QC) is a critical step in RNA sequencing. Yet, it is often ignored or conducted on a limited basis. Here, we present a multi-perspective strategy for QC of RNAseq experiments. The QC of RNAseq can be divided into four related stages: 1) RNA quality; 2) raw read data (FASTQ); 3) alignment; and 4) gene expression. We illustrate the importance of conducting QC at each stage of an RNAseq experiment and demonstrate our recommended RNAseq QC strategy. Furthermore, we discuss the major and often neglected quality issues associated with the three major types of RNAseq: mRNA, total RNA, and small RNA (sRNA). This RNAseq QC overview provides comprehensive guidance for researchers who conduct RNAseq experiments.
The detailed QC strategy can be found in the manuscript.