Methylation-Sensitive Representational Difference Analysis (MS-RDA)

Methylation-sensitive representational difference analysis (MS-RDA) is a genome subtraction method that isolates DNA fragments differentially methylated between two genomes. It can be performed in any organism, even in those for which no microarray products are available. An important characteristic of MS-RDA is that it enriches unmethylated CpG-rich regions of the genome (amplicon), most of which are unique sequences. DNA fragments differentially methylated between two DNA samples will be present in one amplicon, but not in the other. The difference can be identified by RDA. Most technical difficulties reside in the RDA procedure, and many fine techniques are necessary for a successful application of this powerful technology.