epigentek DNA methylation

The scientists from A*STAR’s Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) and Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB)  developed a novel methodology to probe single cells for various DNA-methylation errors at multiple loci to reveal failed maintenance of epigenetic mark results in chimeric mice, which display unpredictable phenotypes leading to developmental arrest. This methodology allows the use of  a special technique utilizing a microfluidic device to safely extract one cell for performing the assay called “pronuclear transfer” to ameliorate reprogramming defects in embryos. This study not [more…]

Scientists from Japan developed methylation-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (MeFISH) for microscopic visualization of DNA methylation status at specific repeat sequences in individual cells. MeFISH is based on the differential reactivity of 5-methylcytosine and cytosine in target DNA for interstrand complex formation with osmium and bipyridine-containing nucleic acids (ICON). Cell nuclei and chromosomes hybridized with fluorescence-labeled ICON probes for mouse major and minor satellite repeats were treated with osmium for crosslinking. After denaturation, fluorescent signals were retained specifically at satellite [more…]