ATAC-seq and psychiatric disorders

Abstract

A growing number of genetic loci are associated with increased risk for psychiatric disease. Most reside within non-coding regions of the genome and are thought to contribute to disease by disrupting the function of cis regulatory elements (CREs), which are required for the establishment and maintenance of the myriad cell-types and sub-types that constitute the healthy human brain. Recent advances in genomics have presented the scientific community with the opportunity to study the molecular basis of these highly complex processes at unprecedented resolution. In this chapter, we will outline how one such approach, the Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin followed by sequencing (ATAC-seq), is being applied to identify CREs in the brain, to assess their role in normal brain development and function and, in turn, to better understand the genetic basis of psychiatric disease.