A Unique Microprotein Discovery Platform: Shining Light on the Dark Proteome
Interpreting mRNA translation events and translation regulation requires going beyond annotated coding sequences to understand what is actually being translated in your ribosome profiling samples. Many important translation events occur outside annotated coding DNA sequences (CDS) in regions that are considered not to code for proteins (e.g. non-coding RNA) and are missed by standard annotation-driven pipelines (often referred to as the ‘dark proteome’).
A translon is any RNA region that is decoded by the ribosome, regardless of how it is encoded or what its product does. Unlike traditional open reading frame (ORF) labels, translons are defined from observed translation, rather than by sequence expectations or annotation workarounds.
Translon Explorer is an AI-backed machine-learning platform that detects and scores translons directly from your Ribo-seq data. Select your samples, set your criteria, and obtain a list of high-confidence translons in minutes.
By applying a dedicated model to candidate ORFs across your selected Ribo-seq samples, Translon Explorer extracts characteristic translation signatures indicative of genuine translation. You can include one or many Ribo-seq samples in a search, aggregating signal across experiments to uncover low-abundance or context-specific events.
Why use Translon Explorer?
- Systematic translon discovery
Detect non-canonical translons including uORFs, dORFs, readthrough and frameshifting events, other small or short ORFs (sORFs) and more.
- A functional layer of evidence
Add translation-level information to genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics for a more complete view of gene expression.
- Increased sensitivity for rare events
Combine multiple Ribo-seq datasets to boost effective depth and reveal low-abundance or condition-specific translation.
- No bioinformatics required
Run complex translon discovery directly from the browser, enabling any researcher to explore Ribo-seq data without requiring computational analytical skills.
Built for real-world workflows
- Instant visual QC
Every candidate translon includes links to an interactive subcodon profile and genome browser. This allows for easy visual assessment of the translon’s ribosome density and mRNA position as well as an understanding of surrounding transcripts and annotations.
- Powerful filtering
Automatically exclude translons that overlap annotated CDS, restrict by ORF length, allowed start codon identity, confidence threshold and more, so you only review results that match your strategy.
- Shareable, reproducible results
Use short codes to share searches and result sets with colleagues, everyone sees the same parameters, the same hits and the same visualizations.
Translon Explorer turns raw ribosome profiling data into a practical discovery engine, helping you move from Ribo-seq reads to translational insight, and from translational insight to new biological mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.
Schedule a discussion on Translon Explorer