Epigenetics Modifications Applications

Epigenetics Modifications Applications

Gene Link provides researchers with custom synthetic DNA or RNA oligonucleotides specifically designed, based on customer specifications, for use as research tools for in vitro or in vivo studies into the molecular basis of epigenetic phenomenon. Specifically:

(1) 5-methyl-dC-modified oligos. For DNA methylation studies, synthetic oligos with 5-methyl-dC substituted for dC at different CpG sites in promoters or enhancers can be used to ascertain the base positional effect of 5-methyl-dC on transcription.

(2) 5-hm-dC modified oligos. The role of DNA de-methylation in epigenesis is still not well understood. It is speculated that 5-hm-dC may play an important role as an intermediate in the conversion of 5-methyl-dC back to dC (20). TET1 is known to convert 5-methyl-dC to 5-hm-dC, but as yet there is no known cellular enzymatic pathway for subsequent conversion of 5-hm-dC to dC. Synthetic oligos modified with 5-hm-dC can be used as DNA templates to test possible enzyme pathways for such a conversion.

(4) Chromatin re-modeling studies. Either kind of methylated-dC oligo can be used in conjunction with histone proteins modified at various amino acid positions in biophysical studies to ascertain the nature of the binding interactions between modified histones and methylated DNA, and the effect of these interactions on transcription.

(3) sRNA and ncRNA oligos. sRNA and ncRNA oligonucleotides may play important roles in the establishment of cis-epigenetic states, particularly as bridging molecules capable of directing chromatin modifiers to target sites on a genome, either in a global or local manner. Gene Link is a leader in the synthesis of RNA oligos of unparalleled purity for use in specialized applications, including epigenetic studies. If the customer requires it, sRNA and ncRNA oligos made by Gene Link can be modified to enhance their stability for in vivo work.

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