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Why does TCGA RNA-seq pipeline starts from a BAM file?

I am trying to do exactly the same pipeline for RNA-seq data process as the TCGA does. Usually when we ask a sequencing service, we can get a fastQ file. It contains sequence and read quality information. The alignment step comes next. However in the case of TCGA, as their pipeline suggested (https://docs.gdc.cancer.gov/Data/Bioinformatics_Pipelines/Expression_mRNA_Pipeline/). It seems that they used BAM files as one of the inputs. I was wondering why they used BAM files as inputs and how can I repeat what they did? In addition, why isn't there seem to be a adaptor trimming process?

1: TCGA mRNA-seq pipeline schematichttps://docs.gdc.cancer.gov/Data/Bioinformatics_Pipelines/Expression_mRNA_Pipeline/

rna-seq tcga
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updated by Zhenyu Zhang Zhenyu Zhang • written by シン • シン

2 answers

https://gdc.cancer.gov/about-gdc/gdc-faqs - Read the answer to "How can I access GDC sequencing data in FASTQ format?"

Level 1 (aka the raw fastq) data is restricted; to request access to it, see instructions here: https://gdc.cancer.gov/access-data/obtaining-access-controlled-data

Adaptor trimming is unnecessary in RNA-seq read mapping; many papers have been written about it (e.g. https://academic.oup.com/nargab/article/2/3/lqaa068/5901066 ).

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written by dsull dsull

Thank you Delaney, these links answered many questions of mine.

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written by シン • シン

For your curiosity of why GDC sometimes uses BAM as input? Because GDC is not a sequencing center. GDC only does analysis on data that data submitters provided. If data submitters only provide BAMs, GDC has no choice but to use BAMs.

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written by Zhenyu Zhang Zhenyu Zhang

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