Recent advances in epigenomic techniques: Analysis of DNA base modifications

Abstract

Epigenetics refers to the study of modifications in DNA bases, histone proteins and/or alterations in non-coding-RNA biogenesis that cause changes in gene expression without affecting the underlying nucleotide sequence. Epigenetic variation is emerging as one of the regulators of developmental processes and stress responses in animals and plants. Identification and interrogation of epigenetic changes provide unprecedented opportunities for resolving some of the enigmas that could not be solved based on genetic principles. Moreover, epigenome editing might become a preferred technique for the manipulation of gene expression in the desired organism. Although epigenetics is still in its infancy, the need of the day is to identify epigenetic marks and associate them with heritable phenotypes. Several techniques have been developed to analyze the epigenetic changes and associate them with molecular/physiological processes. It is necessary to examine them in a site- and cell-specific manner. Though considerable progress has been made in the last decade towards mapping DNA modifications as well as other epigenetic changes, there is a need to improve the specificity, sensitivity, and resolving power of the techniques to conduct epigenetic research in a cell-specific manner. The recent technological advancements are currently driving the field of epigenetics, and facilitating a better understanding of the field of functional genomics. The present review outlines the recent advances in epigenomic tools and techniques and presents the future perspectives of epigenomic studies.