MethBLAST and methPrimerDB: web-tools for PCR based methylation analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

DNA methylation plays an important role in development and tumorigenesis by epigenetic modification and silencing of critical genes. The development of PCR-based methylation assays on bisulphite modified DNA heralded a breakthrough in speed and sensitivity for gene methylation analysis. Despite this technological advancement, these approaches require a cumbersome gene by gene primer design and experimental validation. Bisulphite DNA modification results in sequence alterations (all unmethylated cytosines are converted into uracils) and a general sequence complexity reduction as cytosines become underrepresented. Consequently, standard BLAST sequence homology searches cannot be applied to search for specific methylation primers.

Results

To address this problem we d

SUBMITTER: Pattyn F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1654196 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature