C Methods of DNA methylation an alysis

Purpose of review To provide guidance for investigators who are new to the field of DNA methylation analysis. Recent findings Epigenetics is the study of mitotically heritable alterations in gene expression potential that are not mediated by changes in DNA sequence. Recently, it has become clear that nutrition can affect epigenetic mechanisms, causing longterm changes in gene expression. This review focuses on methods for studying the epigenetic mechanism DNA methylation. Recent advances include improvement in highthroughput methods to obtain quantitative data on locusspecific DNA methylation and development of various approaches to study DNA methylation on a genome-wide scale. Summary No single method of DNA methylation analysis will be appropriate for every application. By understanding the type of information provided by, and the inherent potential for bias and artifact associated with, each method, investigators can select the method most appropriate for their specific research needs.