Single-cell ATAC sequencing (scATAC-seq) is a powerful molecular biology technique used to profile the chromatin accessibility of individual cells/nuclei at a high resolution. Chromatin accessibility refers to the degree to which DNA within chromatin is accessible by cellular machinery, particularly those parts involved in transcription, such as transcription factors and RNA polymerase.
Unlike bulk ATAC sequencing, which cannot determine the chromatin states of individual subpopulations of cells within a sample, scATAC-seq is widely used to provide valuable insights into chromatin accessibility, transcription factor binding, epigenetic modifications, and gene regulation. This technology is particularly useful in studying various processes and biological mechanisms including developmental processes, tumorigenesis, and immunological memory establishment.