Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Southern analysis using methyl-sensitive restriction enzymes.

¹Department of Biochemistry, University College Cork, Ireland.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|July 5, 2003

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Validation of a stall-side immunoglobulin assay for use in equine reproductive management.

Equine veterinary journal·2026

Same author

Predicted foot and mouth disease virus and African swine fever virus inactivation within carcasses undergoing field decomposition in three Australian climate zones.

Australian veterinary journal·2025

Same author

Neighborhood disorder and depressive symptoms in Jamaican adults: the mediating roles of neighborhood crime and safety problems and collective efficacy.

Frontiers in epidemiology·2025

Same author

An Audit on Oxygen Prescription in Ward-Level Care.

Irish medical journal·2024

Same author

Restaurants as Environments for Healthy Eating: Factors That Contribute to Restaurant-Based Healthy Eating Program Adoption.

Health promotion practice·2024

Same author

Quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions years after a nearby tidal disruption event.

Nature·2024

Same journal

Isolation of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026

Same journal

Modeling Melanoma Immune Surveillance by CAR-T Cells in Human Skin Organoids.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026

Same journal

Stepwise Optimization of a Matrigel-Based In Vitro Angiogenesis Assay for Reproducible and Quantifiable 2D-Tube Formation Using HUVECs.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026

Same journal

Quantifying Mechanical Properties of Fresh Ovarian Tissue with Optical Brillouin Microscopy.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026

Same journal

3D Chromatin Architecture During Early Development: New Methods and New Findings.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026

Same journal

Metabolic Plasticity in Embryogenesis Throughout the Lens of NAD<sup></sup>.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026

See all related articles

DNA methylation analysis using Southern blotting is popular for its robustness. However, it requires large DNA amounts and is limited to specific sequences, impacting studies on germline and embryos.

Area of Science:

Epigenetics
Molecular Biology
Genomics

Background:

DNA methylation, specifically at cytosine-guanine (CG) dinucleotides, is a key epigenetic mechanism regulating gene expression.
This epigenetic imprint is crucial for parental allele-specific gene expression in mammals.
While various advanced techniques exist, Southern analysis with methyl-sensitive restriction enzymes remains a widely used method for DNA methylation detection.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the continued relevance and application of Southern analysis for DNA methylation detection.
To discuss the limitations of Southern analysis, including high DNA input requirements and sequence context dependency.
To underscore the robustness, reproducibility, and simplicity that contribute to its enduring popularity.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

Southern analysis utilizing methyl-sensitive DNA restriction enzymes.
Comparison with other DNA methylation detection methods such as bisulphite sequencing, ligation-mediated PCR, antibody-based detection, and DNA array technology.
Evaluation of the method's suitability for different biological samples, including germline and preimplantation embryos.

Main Results:

Southern analysis remains a popular method for mammalian DNA methylation analysis despite the availability of newer technologies.
The technique requires substantial amounts of genomic DNA, limiting its application in samples with limited DNA availability.
Analysis is restricted to CG sites within recognition sequences of methyl-sensitive restriction enzymes.

Conclusions:

Southern analysis, despite its limitations, is valued for its robustness, reproducibility, and relative simplicity in DNA methylation studies.
The method's drawbacks necessitate careful consideration, particularly when working with limited DNA quantities or when analyzing methylation across diverse sequence contexts.
Its continued widespread use indicates a persistent need for reliable and straightforward DNA methylation analysis techniques.