Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is one of the most common inherited kidney disorders worldwide. It is characterized by the progressive formation of cysts in the kidneys, which can lead to severe complications and, ultimately, kidney failure. In the absence of curative treatments, research plays a key role in improving our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying this disease.
Among the tools currently used in research, ATAC‑seq (Assay for Transposase‑Accessible Chromatin using sequencing) enables the analysis of chromatin accessibility, helping researchers identify which regions of DNA are active and regulated within cells. This approach is particularly valuable for studying the epigenetic mechanisms involved in complex diseases such as ADPKD.
However, the quality and reproducibility of ATAC‑seq data strongly depend on a critical upstream step: nuclei preparation. When working with complex tissues like the kidney, inadequate nuclei preparation can affect nuclear integrity, introduce variability between samples, and compromise the reliability of the results.
Researchers at Yale University addressed this challenge by developing a dedicated method using the Precellys Evolution Touch for nuclei isolation from adult wild‑type and pre‑cystic mouse kidneys, within a midi‑throughput workflow. This approach enables the isolation of intact and highly reproducible nuclei, perfectly suited for ATAC‑seq analyses, while ensuring excellent consistency between samples.
The complete application note, detailing the nuclei preparation protocol and the performance achieved for chromatin accessibility analysis by ATAC‑seq, is available on the Bertin Life Sciences Application Center.
