Transposase-Accessible Chromatin Assay for Fast and Sensitive Epigenomic Profiling

Scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a rapid and sensitive method for integrative epigenomic analysis called assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq).This assay is based on direct in vitro transposition of sequencing adaptors into native chromatin, which captures open chromatin sites using a simple two-step protocol with 500–50,000 cells and reveals the interplay between genomic locations of open chromatin, DNA-binding proteins, individual nucleosomes and chromatin compaction at nucleotide resolution. By using ATAC-seq, the scientists discovered classes of DNA-binding factors that strictly avoided, could tolerate, or tended to overlap with nucleosomes. ATAC-seq maps of human CD4+ T cells from a proband obtained on consecutive days also demonstrated the feasibility of analyzing an individual’s epigenome on a timescale compatible with clinical decision-making.

Source:Learn all about it and read more about their findings here:  Buenrostro JD et al., Transposition of native chromatin for fast and sensitive epigenomic profiling of open chromatin, DNA-binding proteins and nucleosome position. Nature Methods.  Published online 06 October 2013