Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have invented a new way to read and interpret the human genome. The computational method, called TargetFinder, can predict where non-coding DNA--the DNA that does not code for proteins--interacts with genes. This technology helps researchers connect mutations in the so-called genomic "dark matter" with the genes they affect, potentially revealing new therapeutic targets for genetic disorders.
"Our ability to predict the gene targets of enhancers so accurately enables us to link mutations in enhancers to the genes they target," said Pollard. "Having that link is the first step towards using these connections to treat diseases."
New tool enables scientists to interpret 'dark matter' DNA
Journal Reference:
Sean Whalen, Rebecca M Truty, Katherine S Pollard. Enhancer–promoter interactions are encoded by complex genomic signatures on looping chromatin. Nature Genetics, April 2016 DOI: 10.1038/ng.3539
