Premium
Eukaryotic DNA methylation: facts and problems
Author(s) -
Doerfler Walter,
Toth Miklos,
Kochanek Stefan,
Achten Sabine,
Freisem-Rabien Uta,
Behn-Krappa Annett,
Orend Gertraud
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(90)81280-2
Subject(s) - dna methylation , biology , methylation , rna directed dna methylation , dna , dna replication , genetics , computational biology , promoter , gene , gene expression
Patterns of DNA methylation in complex genomes like those of mammalian cells have been viewed as indicators of different levels of genetic activities. It is as yet unknown how these complicated patterns are generated and maintained during cell replication. There is evidence from many different biological systems that the sequence‐specific methylation of promoters in higher eukaryotes is one of the important factors in controlling gene activity at a long‐term level. In general, the fifth nucleotide 5‐methyldeoxycytidine can be considered as a modulator of protein‐DNA interactions. The degree and direction of this modulation has to be assessed experimentally in each individual instance. The establishment of de novo patterns of DNA methylation is characterized by the gradual non‐random spreading of DNA methylation by an essentially unknown mechanism. In this review, some of the general concepts of DNA methylation in mammalian systems are presented, and research currently performed in the authors' laboratory has been summarized.