Cancer Biology Program, Epigenetics & Progenitor Cells Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, PA 19111, USA.
Epigenomics. 2012 Aug;4(4):459-67. doi: 10.2217/epi.12.36.
DNA methylation has long been considered a very stable DNA modification in mammals that could only be removed by replication in the absence of remethylation - that is, by mere dilution of this epigenetic mark (so-called passive DNA demethylation). However, in recent years, a significant number of studies have revealed the existence of active processes of DNA demethylation in mammals, with important roles in development and transcriptional regulation, allowing the molecular mechanisms of active DNA demethylation to be unraveled. In this article, we review the recent literature highlighting the prominent role played in active DNA demethylation by base excision repair and especially by TDG.
DNA 甲基化在哺乳动物中一直被认为是一种非常稳定的 DNA 修饰,只有在没有重新甲基化的情况下通过复制才能去除——也就是说,只能通过这种表观遗传标记的稀释(所谓的被动 DNA 去甲基化)。然而,近年来,大量研究揭示了哺乳动物中存在着主动的 DNA 去甲基化过程,这些过程在发育和转录调控中起着重要作用,使得主动 DNA 去甲基化的分子机制得以揭示。在本文中,我们回顾了最近的文献,强调了碱基切除修复,特别是 TDG 在主动 DNA 去甲基化中所起的突出作用。