Epigenomics
Material studied: DNA modifications
Methods used: Chromatin immunoprecipitation, high-resolution melt analysis
Similar to signposting, our DNA is reversibly ‘marked’ by enzymes. These epigenetic modifications, as they are called, also affect the histone proteins around which DNA is wound. By limiting or permitting access to DNA, these changes can ‘switch on or off’ gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence.
Using a combination of biochemical and sequencing techniques, we can map and understand the functions of epigenetic modifications on a genome-wide scale. This could shed light on epigenetic changes that lead to disease—switching off genes that limit cell growth, for example, may result in cancer.
