Methylated DNA Quantification

DNA methylation plays an essential role in normal organismal development and cellular differentiation in higher organisms. Gene expression, as well as the development of nearly all types of cancer, are also tied to DNA methylation. For example, global decrease in 5-methylcytosine content (DNA hypomethylation) is likely caused by methyl-deficiency due to a variety of environmental influences and has been proposed as a molecular marker in multiple biological processes such as cancer. Global quantification of DNA methylation is crucial for understanding the roles that gene expression and silencing play in cancer development and other diseases.

Bisulfite Conversion

Bisulfite and sodium bisulfite based techniques, often known as bisulfite conversion, are common approaches for preparing DNA for gene-specific DNA methylation analysis. Treatment of DNA with bisulfite converts cytosine to uracil while leaving 5-methylcytosine intact, allowing for single-nucleotide resolution information about the methylated areas of DNA. Popular methods for analyzing DNA methylation on a gene-specific basis, after bisulfite treatment, include bisulfite sequencing, methylation-specific PCR, and methylation-based microarrays.

Methylated DNA Immunoprecipitation

Methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (meDIP) is a large-scale antibody-based technique used to enrich and capture methylated DNA fragments for gene-specific DNA methylation studies on a genome-wide scale. Following meDIP approaches, DNA methylation can be analyzed using a variety of downstream applications, including meDIP-PCR, meDIP-ChIP, and meDIP-sequencing.

PCR & NGS Analysis

Next generation sequencing technologies have increased data output volumes and lowered the cost of DNA sequencing beyond what is possible with standard dye-terminator methods. This has led to a significant advancement in understanding several epigenetic mechanisms, namely genome-wide DNA methylation and protein-DNA interaction. EpiGentek offers many inexpensive solutions for next-generation sequencing, including full package kits to conveniently construct high quality DNA libraries from low quantity or difficult samples.

DNA Methylation Antibodies

Well-characterized and highly validated DNA methylation antibodies and DNA demethylation antibodies may help to increase researchers' understanding of DNA methylation and its involvement in diseases as well as cell cycle regulation and embryonic development. DNA methylation is the most widely studied epigenetic mechanism regulating gene expression, thereby affecting cell function, while aberrant DNA methylation is prevalent in many diseases, particularly cancer.

DNA Isolation

DNA samples can be prepared from cells, tissues, and body fluids, and are the most commonly used starting material for the majority of DNA methylation applications and assays. Efficient, precise, and high quality isolation of DNA is a critical precursor to having a successful DNA-based experiment.

DNA Fragmentation

Ultrasonic energy processing of DNA samples is widely accepted as a better alternative than enzymatic digestion methods. By emphasizing higher throughput processing and preventing sample contamination in our sonication technologies, our EpiSonic™ sonicators can be easily integrated into existing lab workflows and are also particularly suitable for compatibility with epigenetic and next-generation applications.