What is ATAC-seq?

ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing) is a technique used in molecular biology to identify regions of open chromatin in a genome. It utilizes a hyperactive Tn5 transposase to insert sequencing adapters into accessible DNA, which are then amplified and sequenced. This allows researchers to map regions of the genome that are more readily accessible to proteins, such as transcription factors, and therefore likely to be actively involved in gene regulation. ATAC-seq is commonly used to study chromatin structure, identify regulatory elements, and investigate gene expression patterns.