De novo DNA Methylation: Who's Your DADdy?

Marla E Tharp; Alex Bortvin

doi:10.1016/j.tig.2019.09.001

De novo DNA Methylation: Who's Your DADdy?

Trends Genet. 2019 Nov;35(11):785-787. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.09.001. Epub 2019 Oct 6.

Authors

Marla E Tharp¹, Alex Bortvin²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
² Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. Electronic address: bortvin@carnegiescience.edu.

PMID: 31597610
DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.09.001

Abstract

DNA methylation regulates the organization and function of the genome. Yamanaka et al. now report that de novo methylation of male germ cells of mice involves the transient opening of heterochromatin at megabase-size differentially accessible domains (DADs). This chromatin remodeling likely facilitates de novo methylation of the germ cell genome.

Keywords: DNMT; de novo DNA methylation; facultative heterochromatin; gonocyte; transposon.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Animals
Chromatin*
DNA Methylation*
Genome
Germ Cells
Heterochromatin
Male
Mice

Substances

Chromatin
Heterochromatin