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Strategies for DNA methylation analysis in developmental studies
Author(s) -
Piperi Christina,
Papavassiliou Athanasios G.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-169x.2011.01253.x
Subject(s) - dna methylation , biology , computational biology , bisulfite sequencing , epigenetics , context (archaeology) , cpg site , methylation , bisulfite , dna , genetics , gene , gene expression , paleontology
Developmental processes in eukaryotes are highly dependent on DNA methylation. 5‐methylcytosine (m 5 C) is the most prevalent and best understood DNA modification implicated in maintenance of genomic integrity and function across species. Although m 5 C occurs almost exclusively in symmetrical CpG context in vertebrates, additional asymmetrical distribution in CpHpG and CpHpH sites has been observed in plants and embryonic stem cells. To this end, accurate and reproducible methodology for full analysis of the DNA methylome is highly demanded. Fortunately, a variety of methods enable quantitative DNA methylation mapping at a single‐base resolution and in a large scale. Here, we provide a critical overview of methods applied primarily to m 5 C detection with particular emphasis on technical improvements of the classical bisulfite‐conversion protocol. We further describe strategies in combination with emerging technologies that allow acquisition of highly reliable data for developmental studies.