Method for characterizing, classifying and differentiating tissues and
cell types, for predicting the behavior of tissues and groups of cells, and for identifying genes with changed expression. The method involves obtaining
genomic DNA from a
tissue sample, the
genomic DNA subsequently being subjected to shearing, cleaved by means of a restriction
endonuclease or not treated by either one of these methods. The base
cytosine, but not 5-methylcytosine, from the thus-obtained
genomic DNA is then converted into
uracil by treatment with a
bisulfite solution. Fractions of the thus-treated genomic
DNA are then amplified using either very short or degenerated oligonucleotides or oligonuclcotides which are complementary to adaptor oligonucleotides that have been ligated to the ends of the cleaved
DNA. The quantity of the remaining cytosines on the
guanine-rich
DNA strand and / or the quantity of guanines on the
cytosine-rich DNA strand from the amplified fractions are then detected by hybridization or
polymerase reaction, which quantities are such that the data generated thereby and automatically applied to a
processing algorithm allow the drawing of conclusions concerning the
phenotype of the sample material.