Fig. 1

Design of a 128-note universe for transformation of methylation patterns into music. a Method overview: The methylation state of seven consecutive CpG sites was mapped to a note universe consisting of 128 different chords und note variations. CpG dinucleotides are highlighted and methyl groups are displayed by red coloring. b Percentage of clean (fully methylated or unmethylated) patterns as a function of fragment size (number of combined consecutive CpG sites). The data is based on the single embryonic stem cell methylation levels of chromosome 1. Longer fragments increase the likelihood for partially methylated patterns. c Methylation pattern frequency for a fragment size of length 7. Data is based on the single embryonic stem cell methylation levels of chromosome 1. Fully methylated and singly unmethylated fragments have the highest frequency. d First and second inversion of the C-major chord. C is the root and in the bass of the C major triad, but is not in the bass for an inverted chord. The inversions are numbered in the order their bass tones appear in the parent C major chord. e Note sequences assigned to the seven patterns with only one unmethylated CpG site. As the unmethylated CpG site moves from left to right, the assigned notes ascend upwards in tone. This ordering was chosen for aesthetical reasons