Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay of brain tissues using Percoll gradient-purified nuclei

Methods Mol Biol. 2013:1018:199-209. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-444-9_19.

Abstract

Protein-DNA interactions are critical to maintain genome stability, DNA replication, chromosome -segregation and to regulate gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is a powerful technique to study these interactions within living neurons and nervous tissue. In particular, ChIP analysis of chromatin in which protein-DNA interactions are first fixed in situ provides a valuable approach to identify specific transcription factor-DNA interactions and their regulation in the developing nervous system. Here we describe a procedure utilizing Percoll gradient purification of nuclei from fresh brain tissue pre-fixed with formaldehyde for ChIP analysis. This purification protocol provides an enrichment of neuronal nuclei in high yield. We also illustrate the suitability of chromatin prepared from Percoll-purified brain nuclei for ChIP analysis of regulated transcription factor interactions with neuronal gene promoters.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Cell Fractionation
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism*
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation / methods*
  • Formaldehyde / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Povidone / pharmacology*
  • Silicon Dioxide / pharmacology*
  • Tissue Fixation

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • Formaldehyde
  • Percoll
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • Povidone