A new technique developed by Shankar Balasubramanian’s group, in collaboration with Wolf Reik’s group at the Babraham Institute, makes an important breakthrough for epigenetics research that has implications for stem cell research and the development of regenerative medicines.
Epigenetics is the study of modifications to DNA that affect the activity of genes. DNA is normally made up of four bases – cytosine, guanine, adenine and thymine. However, these can undergo chemical modification to make new bases. Changing one of the bases in a strand of DNA in this way alters its property and function by controlling how the sequence is interpreted. This affects how genes are switched on and off in different cell types, tissues and organs.
Adding a methyl group to cystosine to form 5-methylcytosine (5mc) turns the genes it contains off. In collaboration with the Babraham group, they are looking into the function of a second modification, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmc), which is thought to be important in stem cell function. Until now, it has been impossible to pinpoint where 5hmc modifications occur.
PhD student Michael Booth, who co-invented the technique, says, ‘We developed a chemistry that was specific for this new modified DNA base, 5-hmc. This allowed us to accurately distinguish between 5mc and 5hmc at single base resolution in the genome.’
‘This new technique, which reflects the continued innovative work of Professor Balasubramanian and his team, will dramatically change how epigenetic research is conducted,’ says head of department Daan Frenkel. ‘By collaborating with experts at Babraham, they have also demonstrated how the technique will have significant implications for regenerative medicine.
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