title: Single-molecule, genome-scale analyses of DNA modifications: exposing the epigenome with next-generation technologies.
abstract: DNA modifications represent an integral part of the epigenome and they have a pivotal role in regulation of genome function. Despite the wide variety of analytical techniques that have been developed to detect DNA modifications, their investigation at the single-genome level is only beginning to emerge. In contrast to population-averaged analyses, single-molecule approaches potentially allow the mapping of epigenetic linkage between distantly located genomic regions, the locus-specific analysis of repetitive DNA elements, as well as determination of allele-specific DNA modification patterns. In this article, the properties of current single-molecule analyses of DNA modifications will be discussed and compared. In addition, the possible biomedical and discovery research applications of single-molecule epigenomics will be highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Center Regensburg, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zillner
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Németh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019175:DNA Methylation; D057890:Epigenomics / Q000379:methods*; D056426:Genetic Loci; D016678:Genome; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D006801:Humans; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA