Methods of Epigenetic Analysis

Epigenetics encompasses heritable changes in DNA or its associated proteins except mutations in gene sequence. Many investigators in the field of epigenetics focus on histone modifications and DNA methylation, two molecular mechanisms that are often linked and interdependent. A variety of methods are applied to the study of epigenetic processes, and the past decade has witnessed an exponential increase in novel approaches to elucidate the molecular mysteries of epigenetic inheritance. This chapter summarizes some of the most contemporary methods used to study epigenetics presented throughout the book.