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Recent developments and refinements to DNA methylation assays have led to the availability of several methods to detect and quantify cytosine modifications. This Review discusses the principles behind the newly developed techniques, compares the strengths and weaknesses of the different methods, and provides guidelines for selecting the most appropriate methods for particular experimental contexts.
Forward genetic screens have a long history of uncovering the genetic mutations underlying phenotypes of interest. This Review describes how next-generation sequencing technology can be integrated into forward genetic screens not only to enhance their efficiency but also to allow them to be carried out using expanded repertoires of species, populations and experimental strategies.
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) influence alternative splicing in a highly context-sensitive and combinatorial manner, and it is therefore difficult to predict their actions on the basis of genomic sequence. However, recent progress in understanding alternative splicing, particularly using global approaches, has revealed new sets of rules for deciphering these patterns. This Review outlines the function of RBPs at different levels and describes the emerging rules of alternative splicing.
