Whole genome DNA methylation sequencing of the chicken retina, cornea and brain.

Whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) analysis of DNA methylation uses massively parallel next generation sequencing technology to characterize global epigenetic patterns and fluctuations throughout a range of tissue samples. Development of the vertebrate retina is thought to involve extensive epigenetic reprogramming during embryogenesis. The chicken embryo (Gallus gallus) is a classic model system for studying developmental biology and retinogenesis, however, there are currently no publicly available data sets describing the developing chicken retinal methylome. Here we used Illumina WGBS analysis to characterize genome-wide patterns of DNA methylation in the developing chicken retina as well as cornea and brain in an effort to further our understanding of retina-specific epigenetic regulation. These data will be valuable to the vision research community for correlating global changes in DNA methylation to differential gene expression between ocular and neural tissues during critical developmental time points of retinogenesis in the chicken retina.