National Cancer Institute (source definition)
ATAC-Seq
A molecular genetic technique that isolates and sequences chromosomal regions that are rich in open chromatin. First, nuclei are harvested from a cellular sample. Then a hyperactive Tn5 transposase is added to the nuclei where it excises non-nucleosomal DNA strands and ligates co-administered high-throughput sequencing adapters (tagmentation). The tagged DNA fragments are isolated, amplified by PCR and sequenced. The number of reads for specific region of DNA correlate with increased chromatin accessibility and this method can identify regions of transcription factor and nucleosome binding.
Review and references
Automated source check (NCI definition)
2026-10-19
2026-10-29
professional use
References
- NCI Thesaurus 26.09d — ATAC-Seq (C156056)
- Source: National Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus 26.09d, C156056. NCI definition, reproduced without modification under CC BY 4.0.
- Robust annotation and discovery of novel cell types in single-cell ATAC-seq data through cross-modal reference alignment. — Genome Res, 2026-10-01 (PMID 42665446; literature)
- Integrative ATAC-seq and RNA-seq reveal chromatin remodeling as a hub of immune, oxidative, and metabolic reprogramming under heat and hypoxia stress in Apostichopus japonicus. — Comp Biochem Physiol Part D Genomics Proteomics, 2026-09-28 (PMID 42826588; literature)
- Controlling for DNA dosage with whole-genome sequencing improves ATAC-seq peak calling. — NAR Genom Bioinform, 2026-10-09 (PMID 42857253; literature)
- Protocol for profiling chromatin accessibility in human small-cell lung cancer FFPE-derived samples using Omni-ATAC-seq. — STAR Protoc, 2026-10-23 (PMID 42912498; literature)
- OSCAR: an omics atlas of paired single-cell ATAC-seq and RNA-seq for decoding cell-specific gene regulation. — Nucleic Acids Res, 2026-10-27 (PMID 42935243; literature)
What it is
A molecular genetic technique that isolates and sequences chromosomal regions that are rich in open chromatin. First, nuclei are harvested from a cellular sample. Then a hyperactive Tn5 transposase is added to the nuclei where it excises non-nucleosomal DNA strands and ligates co-administered high-throughput sequencing adapters (tagmentation). The tagged DNA fragments are isolated, amplified by PCR and sequenced. The number of reads for specific region of DNA correlate with increased chromatin accessibility and this method can identify regions of transcription factor and nucleosome binding.
Source: National Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus 26.09d, C156056. NCI definition, reproduced without modification under CC BY 4.0.
Source identity and definition checked automatically on 2026-10-18. No individual clinical interpretation or human reviewer is asserted.
Compliance note
Reference intervals and interpretation depend on the laboratory, specimen, method and clinical context. This source definition is educational information; it does not establish a diagnosis, product approval or suitability for an individual.
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