Chen Zhao-xia, Riggs Arthur D
Division of Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
Biochem Cell Biol. 2005 Aug;83(4):438-48. doi: 10.1139/o05-138.
Proper establishment and faithful maintenance of epigenetic information is crucial for the correct development of complex organisms. For mammals, it is now accepted that DNA methylation is an important mechanism for establishing stable heritable epigenetic marks. The distribution of methylation in the genome is not random, and patterns of methylated and unmethylated DNA are well regulated during normal development. The molecular mechanisms by which methylation patterns are established and maintained are complex and just beginning to be understood. In this review, we summarize recent progress in understanding the regulation of mammalian DNA methylation patterns, with an emphasis on the emerging roles of several protein and possible RNA factors. We also revisit the stochastic model of maintenance methylation and discuss its implications for epigenetic fidelity and gene regulation.
表观遗传信息的正确建立和忠实维持对于复杂生物体的正常发育至关重要。对于哺乳动物而言，现在人们公认DNA甲基化是建立稳定可遗传表观遗传标记的重要机制。基因组中甲基化的分布并非随机，并且在正常发育过程中，甲基化和未甲基化DNA的模式受到良好调控。建立和维持甲基化模式的分子机制很复杂，才刚刚开始被理解。在这篇综述中，我们总结了在理解哺乳动物DNA甲基化模式调控方面的最新进展，重点关注几种蛋白质和可能的RNA因子的新作用。我们还重新审视了维持甲基化的随机模型，并讨论了其对表观遗传保真度和基因调控的影响。
