A novel solid-state ChIP platform in high throughput format – Chromatrap^® 96 HT

Epigenetics is increasingly a key focus of research groups in both industry and academia for answers to fundamental transcription regulation questions. Advances in high throughput ChIP coupled with automated liquid handing and next generation sequencing are paving the way for global gene expression analysis and examination of the epigenetic landscape of vast numbers of cell types under varied treatment or disease conditions. In order for this to become a reality, the technology efficiency needs to be advanced, allowing multiple gene loci and signalling mechanisms to be investigated. The novel solid phase technique employed by the Chromatrap^® spin column technology has been developed to create a 96 well microplate format for high throughput ChIP. Chromatrap® 96 HT provides a superior platform for large-scale examination of disease and metabolic pathways, biomarkers and biopharmaceutical and small molecule effects on transcriptional regulation, generating a vast array of data from small quantities of starting material. This article demonstrates the tremendous potential of Chromatrap^® 96 HT in the field of epigenetics. Sensitive enrichment of gene loci following immunoprecipitation with antibodies directed against transcription factors, alongside indicative histone marks, is clearly shown here to be highly selective, demonstrating excellent reproducibility. Parallel observation of transcription factor recruitment and histone methylation in multiple cell lines is described