高通量测序技术及其在表观遗传学上的应用

DNA测序技术是现代生命科学研究的重要工具之一,而高通量测序技术在全基因组的研究中发挥着越来越重要的作用。简要回溯DNA测序技术的产生与发展,着重从PCR扩增测序和单分子测序两个方面全面描述了高通量测序中众多代表性的技术及直接测序技术,并从DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、非编码RNA调控等方面阐述了高通量测序技术在表观遗传学上的运用。     

基于高通量测序技术检测全基因组DNA甲基化水平的方法

DNA甲基化的研究最近几年一直是表观遗传学研究的重点。有关DNA甲基化水平检测的方法大体上有十几种,随着第二代测序技术的发展,实现了在全基因组水平上对甲基化状态进行检测。目前,基于第二代高通量测序进行全基因组DNA甲基化水平检测的方法主要有BSP-seq(亚硫酸氢盐修饰结合直接测序法)、Me DIP-seq(甲基化DNA免疫共沉淀测序法)、MBD-seq(甲基化DNA富集结合高通量测序法)。就这3种方法在原理、流程、优缺点、优化使用及后期需要用到的部分生物信息学资源等方面的研究进展作一综述,旨在为研究者在采用高通量测序方法研究DNA甲基化模式时提供一些思路。     

人类基因组DNA甲基化数据分析的研究现状

作为人类基因组最为典型的表观遗传现象,DNA甲基化在多种关键生理活动中扮演重要角色.系统分析基因组尺度的DNA甲基化概况意义重大.从Cp G岛等基本定义出发,阐述了高通量DNA甲基化的检测技术以及针对芯片技术与下一代测序技术的低水平数据处理方法;重点对比了基于机器学习理论对Cp G位点及Cp G岛甲基化水平的预测算法,以及所利用的特征对预测效果的影响与发展趋势;并对DNA差异甲基化在组织特异性、癌症等多种疾病中的计算分析进行了全面的综述.     

Genome Sequencer FLX引领快速基因组测序时代的到来

焦磷酸法最早是应用在检测DNA甲基化和SNP位点分析的一项技术,在2005年底,此技术被用来进行基因组序列的测定,已经成为下一代高通量测序中最成熟的一种技术.本篇文章着重介绍了采用焦磷酸测序法的罗氏公司最新一代高通量基因组测序系统GS FLX的技术原理,操作过程和广泛的应用范围.     

表观遗传学研究方法进展

表观遗传调控是基因表达调控的重要组成部分,已成为当前研究的热点.目前其研究主要集中在DNA甲基化和组蛋白修饰.针对这两种表观修饰,其研究方法也取得了较太进展,一方面方法的是敏度和特异性都在不断提高;另一方面表现修饰的检测正在逐步从定性检测向定量分析方向发展,从个别位点向高通量检测发展.此外,新一代测序技术的应用特大大推动表观遗传研究的发展,包括单分子实时测序法、单分子纳米孔科序法等.综述目前常用的DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰研究方法以及最新的单分子测序技术,并对它们在表观遗传修饰检测中的应用作了简要对比分析.     

Hi-Meth：特定位点DNA甲基化高通量检测平台

胞嘧啶甲基化是DNA表观遗传修饰的主要类型之一,在维持正常细胞功能和调控基因表达中具有重要作用。重亚硫酸盐测序法(bisulfite sequencing PCR,BSP)是特异性位点DNA甲基化检测的通用方法,能明确目的片段中每一个CpG位点的甲基化状态,但此方法需要大量的单克隆测序,操作过程较繁琐、成本昂贵。因此,开发准确、高效、便捷的DNA甲基化检测技术对提升表观遗传研究效率具有重要意义。基于本课题组开发的高通量突变类型检测平台Hi-TOM (high-throughput tracking of mutations),我们进一步建立了特定位点DNA甲基化高通量检测平台Hi-Meth (high-throughput detection of DNA methylation)。DNA样品通过重亚硫酸盐处理之后,仅需一轮PCR扩增即可通过Hi-Meth平台获得特定位点DNA甲基化分析结果。利用Hi-Meth平台,对水稻不同基因启动子区域进行了DNA甲基化检测分析,并与基于BSP方法获得的结果进行了比较。结果表明,Hi-Meth策略与BSP策略检测结果基本一致。而且通过Hi-Meth平台可以更准确、便捷地获得特异性位点DNA甲基化分析结果。综上所述,Hi-Meth为特定DNA区域提供了重要的甲基化检测平台,对表观遗传研究具有重要意义。     

高通量测序技术及其应用

高通量测序技术是DNA测序发展历程的一个里程碑,它为现代生命科学研究提供了前所未有的机遇。详细介绍了以454、Solexa和SOLiD为代表的第二代高通量测序技术,以HeliScope TIRM和Pacific Biosciences SMRT为代表的单分子测序技术,以及最近Life Science公司推出的Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM)测序技术等高通量测序技术的最新进展。在此基础上,阐述了高通量测序技术在基因组测序、转录组测序、基因表达调控、转录因子结合位点的检测以及甲基化等研究领域的应用。最后,讨论了高通量测序技术在成本和后续数据分析等方面存在的问题及其未来的发展前景。     

Genome Sequencer FLX引领快速基因组测序时代的到来

焦磷酸法最早是应用在检测DNA甲基化和SNP位点分析的一项技术, 在2005年底, 此技术被用来进行基因组序列的测定, 已经成为下一代高通量测序中最成熟的一种技术。本篇文章着重介绍了采用焦磷酸测序法的罗氏公司最新一代高通量基因组测序系统GS FLX的技术原理, 操作过程和广泛的应用范围。     

高通量RNA甲基化测序数据处理与分析研究进展

随着高通量测序技术快速发展,Me RIP-seq(methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing)测序技术开启了RNA表观遗传学研究新局面,能够在全基因组范围内描述RNA甲基化.从Me RIP-seq高通量数据中挖掘RNA甲基化模式,有助于揭示m RNA甲基化在调控基因表达、剪切等方面所发挥的潜在功能,有效指导癌症的干预治疗.本文从Me RIP-seq测序原理出发,较全面地综述Me RIP-seq数据处理和分析方法研究现状,并对其所面临的计算问题进行讨论和展望.     

新一代高通量RNA测序数据的处理与分析

随着新一代高通量DNA测序技术的快速发展,RNA测序(RNA-seq)已成为基因表达和转录组分析新的重要手段．RNA-seq技术产生的海量数据为生物信息学带来了新的机遇和挑战．有效地对测序数据进行针对性的生物信息学处理和分析,成为RNA-seq技术能否在科学探索中发挥重大作用的关键．以新一代Illumina/Solexa测序平台所产生的数据为例,在扼要介绍高通量RNA-seq测序流程的基础上,对RNA-seq数据处理和分析的方法和现有软件做一个较为全面的综述,并对其中有待进一步研究的问题进行展望．     

Heterogeneity and randomness of DNA methylation patterns in human embryonic stem cells

DNA methylation has been proposed to be important in many biological processes and is the subject of intense study. Traditional bisulfite genomic sequencing allows detailed high-resolution methylation pattern analysis of each molecule with haplotype information across a few hundred bases at each locus, but lacks the capacity to gather voluminous data. Although recent technological developments are aimed at assessing DNA methylation patterns in a high-throughput manner across the genome, the haplotype information cannot be accurately assembled when the sequencing reads are short or when each hybridization target only includes one or two cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites. Whether a distinct and nonrandom DNA methylation pattern is present at a given locus is difficult to discern without the haplotype information, and the DNA methylation patterns are much less apparent because the data are often obtained only as methylation frequencies at each CpG site with some of these methods. It would facilitate the interpretation of data obtained from high-throughput bisulfite sequencing if the loci with nonrandom DNA methylation patterns could be distinguished from those that are randomly methylated. In this study, we carried out traditional genomic bisulfite sequencing using the normal diploid human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines, and utilized Hamming distance analysis to evaluate the existence of a distinct and nonrandom DNA methylation pattern at each locus studied. Our findings suggest that Hamming distance is a simple, quick, and useful tool to identify loci with nonrandom DNA methylation patterns and may be utilized to discern links between biological changes and DNA methylation patterns in the high-throughput bisulfite sequencing data sets.     

Quantitative DNA methylation analysis based on four-dye trace data from direct sequencing of PCR amplificates

MOTIVATION: Methylation of cytosines in DNA plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression, and the analysis of methylation patterns is fundamental for the understanding of cell differentiation, aging processes, diseases and cancer development. Such analysis has been limited, because technologies for detailed and efficient high-throughput studies have not been available. We have developed a novel quantitative methylation analysis algorithm and workflow based on direct DNA sequencing of PCR products from bisulfite-treated DNA with high-throughput sequencing machines. This technology is a prerequisite for success of the Human Epigenome Project, the first large genome-wide sequencing study for DNA methylation in many different tissues. Methylation in tissue samples which are compositions of different cells is a quantitative information represented by cytosine/thymine proportions after bisulfite conversion of unmethylated cytosines to uracil and PCR. Calculation of quantitative methylation information from base proportions represented by different dye signals in four-dye sequencing trace files needs a specific algorithm handling imbalanced and overscaled signals, incomplete conversion, quality problems and basecaller artifacts. RESULTS: The algorithm we developed has several key properties: it analyzes trace files from PCR products of bisulfite-treated DNA sequenced directly on ABI machines; it yields quantitative methylation measurements for individual cytosine positions after alignment with genomic reference sequences, signal normalization and estimation of effectiveness of bisulfite treatment; it works in a fully automated pipeline including data quality monitoring; it is efficient and avoids the usual cost of multiple sequencing runs on subclones to estimate DNA methylation. The power of our new algorithm is demonstrated with data from two test systems based on mixtures with known base compositions and defined methylation. In addition, the applicability is proven by identifying CpGs that are differentially methylated in real tissue samples.     

Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation patterns

Cytosine methylation is the most common covalent modification of DNA in eukaryotes. DNA methylation has an important role in many aspects of biology, including development and disease. Methylation can be detected using bisulfite conversion, methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes, methyl-binding proteins and anti-methylcytosine antibodies. Combining these techniques with DNA microarrays and high-throughput sequencing has made the mapping of DNA methylation feasible on a genome-wide scale. Here we discuss recent developments and future directions for identifying and mapping methylation, in an effort to help colleagues to identify the approaches that best serve their research interests.     

High density DNA methylation array with single CpG site resolution

We have developed a new generation of genome-wide DNA methylation BeadChip which allows high-throughput methylation profiling of the human genome. The new high density BeadChip can assay over 480K CpG sites and analyze twelve samples in parallel. The innovative content includes coverage of 99% of RefSeq genes with multiple probes per gene, 96% of CpG islands from the UCSC database, CpG island shores and additional content selected from whole-genome bisulfite sequencing data and input from DNA methylation experts. The well-characterized Infinium® Assay is used for analysis of CpG methylation using bisulfite-converted genomic DNA. We applied this technology to analyze DNA methylation in normal and tumor DNA samples and compared results with whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) data obtained for the same samples. Highly comparable DNA methylation profiles were generated by the array and sequencing methods (average R² of 0.95). The ability to determine genome-wide methylation patterns will rapidly advance methylation research.     

Exome localization of complex disease association signals

Background

Recent progress in high-throughput technologies has greatly contributed to the development of DNA methylation profiling. Although there are several reports that describe methylome detection of whole genome bisulfite sequencing, the high cost and heavy demand on bioinformatics analysis prevents its extensive application. Thus, current strategies for the study of mammalian DNA methylomes is still based primarily on genome-wide methylated DNA enrichment combined with DNA microarray detection or sequencing. Methylated DNA enrichment is a key step in a microarray based genome-wide methylation profiling study, and even for future high-throughput sequencing based methylome analysis.

Results

In order to evaluate the sensitivity and accuracy of methylated DNA enrichment, we investigated and optimized a number of important parameters to improve the performance of several enrichment assays, including differential methylation hybridization (DMH), microarray-based methylation assessment of single samples (MMASS), and methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP). With advantages and disadvantages unique to each approach, we found that assays based on methylation-sensitive enzyme digestion and those based on immunoprecipitation detected different methylated DNA fragments, indicating that they are complementary in their relative ability to detect methylation differences.

Conclusions

Our study provides the first comprehensive evaluation for widely used methodologies for methylated DNA enrichment, and could be helpful for developing a cost effective approach for DNA methylation profiling.     

The landscape of DNA repeat elements in human heart failure

DNA methylation is a chemical modification of cytosine bases that is pivotal for gene regulation, cellular specification and cancer development. Here, we describe an R package, methylKit, that rapidly analyzes genome-wide cytosine epigenetic profiles from high-throughput methylation and hydroxymethylation sequencing experiments. methylKit includes functions for clustering, sample quality visualization, differential methylation analysis and annotation features, thus automating and simplifying many of the steps for discerning statistically significant bases or regions of DNA methylation. Finally, we demonstrate methylKit on breast cancer data, in which we find statistically significant regions of differential methylation and stratify tumor subtypes. methylKit is available at http://code.google.com/p/methylkit.     

Archived Guthrie blood spots as a novel source for quantitative DNA methylation analysis

Sodium bisulfite treatment followed by PCR and DNA sequencing is widely considered the gold standard for the analysis of DNA methylation patterns. However, this technique generally requires substantial quantities of genomic DNA as starting material and is often associated with degradation of DNA. Here, we assess the feasibility of performing bisulfite sequencing on DNA isolated from 3-mm diameter punches of dried blood Guthrie spots. We demonstrate that it is possible to perform bisulfite sequencing from both freshly prepared and archived dried blood spots, using a combination of high purity DNA extraction and efficient bisulfite conversion. With the number of new technologies available for DNA methylation studies, we have extended this analysis and have successfully used a high-throughput mass spectrometry method for DNA methylation analysis on these samples. This provides a new source of material for epigenetic analysis of birth samples and provides an invaluable reference point to track temporal change in epigenetic profiles possibly linked with health and disease.