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DNA methylation and mammalian epigenetics
Author(s) -
Reik Wolf,
Dean Wendy
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
electrophoresis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1522-2683
pISSN - 0173-0835
DOI - 10.1002/1522-2683(200108)22:14<2838::aid-elps2838>3.0.co;2-m
Subject(s) - reprogramming , epigenetics , dna methylation , biology , genomic imprinting , epigenetics of physical exercise , rna directed dna methylation , genetics , methyltransferase , epigenomics , epigenetic regulation of neurogenesis , methylation , gene , histone methyltransferase , gene expression
Epigenetic modifications of DNA such as methylation are important for genome function during development and in adults. DNA methylation has central importance for genomic imprinting and other aspects of epigenetic control of gene expression, and during development methylation patterns are largely maintained in somatic lineages. The mammalian genome undergoes major reprogramming of methylation patterns in the germ cells and in the early embryo. Some of the factors that are involved both in maintenance and in reprogramming, such as methyltransferases, are being identified. Epigenetic changes are likely to be important in animal cloning, and influence the occurrence of epimutations and of epigenetic inheritance. Environmental factors can alter epigenetic modifications and may thus have long lasting effects on phenotype. Epigenetic engineering is likely to play an important role in medicine in the future.