DNA Sequencing · Pathology

Why is bisulfite sequencing specifically utilized in epigenetic studies?

  1. It digests methylated cytosines
  2. It selectively converts unmethylated cytosines to uracil
  3. It sequences only nucleosome-bound DNA
  4. It preferentially amplifies GC-rich genomic regions over AT-rich ones
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Correct answer: It selectively converts unmethylated cytosines to uracil

Treatment of DNA with sodium bisulfite deaminates unmethylated cytosine residues to uracil (read as thymine after PCR), while 5-methylcytosine is resistant to this conversion. Comparing bisulfite-treated sequences to reference sequences reveals the methylation status at single-base resolution.

Difficulty: Medium Question 13 of 20

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