Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, stably alter gene expression without modifying genomic sequences. Recent evidence suggests that epigenetic regulation coupled with a long-term 'memory' effect plays a major role within bacterial persistence formation. Today, emerging high-resolution, single-molecule sequencing technologies allow an increased focus on DNA modifications as regulatory epigenetic marks, which presents a unique opportunity to identify possible epigenetic drivers of bacterial persistence.

中文翻译：

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表观遗传记忆：细菌持久性的隐藏驱动因素？

表观遗传修饰，包括 DNA 甲基化，可以稳定地改变基因表达而不改变基因组序列。最近的证据表明，表观遗传调控加上长期的“记忆”效应在细菌持久性形成中起着重要作用。如今，新兴的高分辨率单分子测序技术使人们更加关注作为调控表观遗传标记的 DNA 修饰，这为鉴定细菌持久性的可能表观遗传驱动因素提供了独特的机会。