Chinese Journal of Nature ›› 2019, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (5): 325-334.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2019.05.002

• Invited Special Paper • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Detecting DNA methylation with GPS, revealing native characteristics of cancer cells

XU Peng①②, YU Wenqiang①②   

  1. ①Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China;②Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
  • Received:2019-04-12 Online:2019-10-25 Published:2019-10-21

Abstract: DNA methylation is vital for the cell’s growth and proliferation, and the aberrant DNA methylation pattern can induce various diseases, including cancer, thus precisely detecting whole genome DNA methylation is of great significance for both diagnosis
and treatment of diseases. Here, we introduce the novel technology called GPS (guide positioning sequencing), invented by Wenqiang Yu’s team at Fudan University, for monitoring whole genome DNA methylation. Compared with the commonly used WGBS (wholegenome bisulfite sequencing), GPS detects whole genome DNA methylation with a higher accuracy and mapping rate, a lower cost, unbiasedness in sequences, and the capability of identifying epigenome and genome variations in one go. Detecting DNA methylation pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma cell/tissue by utilizing GPS, we revealed a novel mechanism “assimilated symbiosis” for tumor metastasis based on the regulation of DNA methylation.