ATAC-seq
ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing) is a molecular biology technique used to map genome-wide chromatin accessibility. It identifies regions of open chromatin, such as promoters, enhancers, and other regulatory elements, by using a hyperactive Tn5 transposase to insert sequencing adapters into accessible DNA. This method provides insights into gene regulation, transcription factor binding, and epigenetic states in cells.
Developers should learn ATAC-seq when working in bioinformatics, computational biology, or genomics to analyze chromatin dynamics and regulatory genomics data. It is essential for applications like identifying active regulatory regions, studying cell-type-specific gene expression, and integrating with other omics data (e.g., RNA-seq, ChIP-seq) for comprehensive biological insights. Use cases include cancer research, developmental biology, and drug discovery where understanding epigenetic regulation is critical.