Novel DNA binding domain-based assays for detection of methylated and nonmethylated DNA

Methylation of cytosine in the context of CpG dinucleotides is an epigenetic phenomenon in eukaryotes that plays important roles in genome function and transcription regulation. Aberrant changes in DNA methylation is an important feature of several human diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders. These discoveries have opened a new field of new therapies and diagnostics. During recent years, there has been a revolution in DNA methylation analysis technologies. This article focuses on methods with which to study DNA methylation that employ protein domains that specifically recognize either 5-methyl-cytosine in the CpG context or nonmethylated DNA, and methods developed for the detection of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, the recently described epigenetic mark known as the sixth base of the epigenome.