Open AccessThe Bulk Chromatin Structure of a Murine Transgene Does Not Vary with Its Transcriptional or DNA Methylation Status
Author(s) -
Andrew P. Weng,
Peter Engler,
Ursula Storb
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.15.1.572
Subject(s) - biology , chromatin , transgene , dna methylation , methylation , scaffold/matrix attachment region , microbiology and biotechnology , dna , deoxyribonuclease i , gene , genetics , gene expression , chromatin remodeling , base sequence
The DNA methylation status of HRD, a murine transgene, can be controlled by the genetic background upon which it is carried. We found the transgene to be transcribed in competent tissues only when undermethylated. Chromatin structure over the transgene was assayed by nuclear accessibility with DNase I, MspI, and PstI. While the transgene was up to fivefold more resistant to MspI when methylated than when not methylated, we observed no such difference with DNase I or PstI. We suggest that methyl-CpG-binding proteins are responsible for the difference observed with MspI, but that the chromatin structures are otherwise similarly compacted. Methylation could, therefore, play a regulatory role in gene expression beyond that which can be accomplished by bulk chromatin structure alone.