Klose Robert J, Bird Adrian P
Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK.
Trends Biochem Sci. 2006 Feb;31(2):89-97. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2005.12.008. Epub 2006 Jan 5.
Methylation of DNA at position five of the cytosine ring occurs at most CpG dinucleotides in the mammalian genome and is essential for embryonic viability. With several of the key proteins now known, it has become possible to approach the biological significance of this epigenetic system through both biochemistry and genetics. As a result, advances have been made in our understanding of the mechanisms by which DNA methylation is targeted to specific regions of the genome and interpreted by methyl-CpG-binding proteins. Recent studies have illuminated the role of DNA methylation in controlling gene expression and have strengthened its links with histone modification and chromatin remodelling.
在哺乳动物基因组中，胞嘧啶环第5位的DNA甲基化发生在大多数CpG二核苷酸上，对胚胎的生存能力至关重要。由于现在已知几种关键蛋白质，通过生物化学和遗传学来探究这种表观遗传系统的生物学意义已成为可能。因此，我们在理解DNA甲基化靶向基因组特定区域并由甲基化CpG结合蛋白进行解读的机制方面取得了进展。最近的研究阐明了DNA甲基化在控制基因表达中的作用，并加强了其与组蛋白修饰和染色质重塑的联系。
