Chromosome conformation capture

Chromosome conformation capture (3C) is a methodology (originally developed by Dekker et al.) at the University of Massachusetts aimed at identifying, locating and mapping physical interactions between genetic elements located throughout the human genome. This technology would give beneficial insights into the complex interplay of genetic factors that contribute to such debilitating disorders such as cancer, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Rett syndrome and Alzheimer's disease.

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Methodology

The 3C assay generates an average measurement of the juxtaposition frequency between any two genomic loci and provides information on their relative proximity to the nucleus. This ultimately allows for detection of different conformations of genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification.