DNA Methylation Reprogramming in the Germ Line
- 1 January 2008
- book chapter
- Published by Springer Nature
- Vol. 626, 1-15
- https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-77576-0_1
Abstract
In mammals, methylation occurs almost exclusively on the CpG dinucleotide in DNA and shows no preference for sequence context surrounding this target. CpGs are found on many different sequence classes and methylation of this dinucleotide is associated with repression of transcription. Reprogramming methylation in the primordial germ cells establishes monoallelic expression of imprinted genes which exhibit monoallelic expression throughout the lifetime of an organism, maintains retrotransposons in an inactive state and inactivates one of the two X chromosomes. In addition to direct transcriptional silecing, DNA methylation is important for suppression of recombination, and resetting this information is therefore necessary for maintenance of genomic stability. In this chapter, we will review the recent progress in our understanding of the time course and extent of DNA methylation reprogramming of many different sequence classes. We focus on the mouse germline, since this has been the model system from which we have gained the most knowledge of the process. In addition we will examine some of the evidence suggesting a link between repeat methylation and methylation of epigenetically controlled single-copy genes. To do this, we will look at the temporal sequence of methylation events from the time the germ cells become recognizable as a discrete population until the mature male and female gametes fuse and form the early embryo.This publication has 71 references indexed in Scilit:
- X-tra! X-tra! News from the Mouse X ChromosomeDevelopmental Biology, 2006
- Differential Methylation of Xite and CTCF Sites in Tsix Mirrors the Pattern of X-Inactivation Choice in MiceMolecular and Cellular Biology, 2006
- Transgenic RNAi Reveals Essential Function for CTCF in H19 Gene ImprintingScience, 2004
- Trans allele methylation and paramutation-like effects in miceNature Genetics, 2003
- Shared Role for Differentially Methylated Domains of Imprinted GenesMolecular and Cellular Biology, 2002
- DNA methylation patterns and epigenetic memoryGenes & Development, 2002
- Regulation of DNA methylation of Rasgrf1Nature Genetics, 2001
- DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferases in mouse cells and tissues. studies with a mechanism-based probeJournal of Molecular Biology, 1997
- Role for DNA methylation in genomic imprintingNature, 1993
- X-chromosome activity in the germ cells of Sex-reversed mouse embryosReproduction, 1981