Characterisation of DNA methylation status using spectroscopy (mid-IR versus Raman) with multivariate analysis.

Methylation status plays important roles in the regulation of gene expression and significantly influences the dynamics, bending and flexibility of DNA. The aim of this study was to determine whether attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) or Raman spectroscopy with subsequent multivariate analysis could determine methylation patterning in oligonucleotides variously containing 5-methylcytosine, cytosine and guanine bases. Applied to Low-E reflective glass slides, 10 independent spectral acquisitions were acquired per oligonucleotide sample.

Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) assay (pH 6.7) coupled with infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics towards toxicological assessment.

The Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) assay (pH 6.7) is an in vitro candidate to replace in vivo carcinogenicity tests. However, the conventional method of visual scoring of foci (non-transformed vs.