DNA methylation analysis of germ cells by using bisulfite-based sequencing methods

Methods Mol Biol. 2012:825:223-35. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61779-436-0_17.

Abstract

Dynamic changes in DNA methylation at the gene-specific and genome-wide level occur during mammalian germ-cell development. However, the details of how the methylation profiles change remain largely unknown. Bisulfite sequencing analysis is a powerful technique to determine the methylation status of DNA at individual cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) sites and requires only a small amount of DNA for analysis. Here, we introduce two methods for bisulfite-based DNA methylation analyses using small samples such as germ cells: bisulfite Sanger sequencing at a specific locus and high-throughput bisulfite sequencing at the whole genome level.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • DNA Methylation*
  • Epigenomics / instrumentation
  • Epigenomics / methods*
  • Female
  • Germ Cells / metabolism*
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / instrumentation
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / methods*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / instrumentation
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods*
  • Sulfites / chemistry*

Substances

  • Sulfites
  • hydrogen sulfite