title: BiQ Analyzer HT: locus-specific analysis of DNA methylation by high-throughput bisulfite sequencing.
abstract: Bisulfite sequencing is a widely used method for measuring DNA methylation in eukaryotic genomes. The assay provides single-base pair resolution and, given sufficient sequencing depth, its quantitative accuracy is excellent. High-throughput sequencing of bisulfite-converted DNA can be applied either genome wide or targeted to a defined set of genomic loci (e.g. using locus-specific PCR primers or DNA capture probes). Here, we describe BiQ Analyzer HT (http://biq-analyzer-ht.bioinf.mpi-inf.mpg.de/), a user-friendly software tool that supports locus-specific analysis and visualization of high-throughput bisulfite sequencing data. The software facilitates the shift from time-consuming clonal bisulfite sequencing to the more quantitative and cost-efficient use of high-throughput sequencing for studying locus-specific DNA methylation patterns. In addition, it is useful for locus-specific visualization of genome-wide bisulfite sequencing data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics/Epigenetics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Pavlo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lutsik
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feuerbach
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arand
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lengauer
authors.forename: Jörn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bock
mesh_terms: D019175:DNA Methylation; D056426:Genetic Loci; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012984:Software; D013447:Sulfites
chemical_list: D013447:Sulfites; C042345:hydrogen sulfite