High-throughput DNA sequencing beyond the four-letter code: epigenetic modifications revealed by single-molecule bypass kinetics.

Throughout all domains of life, nucleic acid-based epigenetic modification of DNA is established as a regulatory mechanism that can affect different processes ranging from the replicative mismatch repair to the transcriptional activity of genes. Modifications can be preserved during cell divisions and play important roles in development-with consequences of aberrant regulation of modification such as the promotion of diseases including cancerY-3J Several types of modification that are associated with varying biological roles, depending on the organism and cell type are known. Methylation of cytosine nucleobases at position 5 (mC, Figure 1 A) is the best-studied epigenetic mark in eukar-