Standard DRIP-seq often struggles to detect R-loops at gene promoters because these structures can be transient and are easily lost during harsh DNA extraction. A 2021 study sought to map these "regulatory" R-loops with higher precision to understand their role in pausing RNA Polymerase II.
The researchers employed R-loop CUT&Tag using a specific sensor. They performed the assay in intact nuclei to preserve the delicate promoter structures.
The CUT&Tag data revealed thousands of sharp, high-intensity R-loop peaks centered exactly at the Transcription Start Sites (TSS) of active genes. In comparison, standard DRIP-seq data from the same cells showed broad, diffuse signals that often missed the TSS entirely. The high resolution of CUT&Tag allowed the authors to correlate these R-loops directly with RNA Polymerase II pausing indices.

Tn5-mediated profiling (CUT&Tag) provides a superior, high-resolution map of promoter-associated R-loops, making it the preferred method for studying transcriptional regulation.
(Source: Genomic profiling of native R loops with a DNA-RNA hybrid recognition sensor, Science Advances, 2021. CC BY 4.0)



CUT&Tag vs DRIP