Methylation of HoxA5 and HoxB5 and its relevance to expression during mouse development

被引：50

作者：

Hershko, AY ^{[1
]}

Kafri, T ^{[1
]}

Fainsod, A ^{[1
]}

Razin, A ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] Hebrew Univ Jerusalem, Hadassah Med Sch, Dept Cellular Biochem & Human Genet, IL-91120 Jerusalem, Israel

来源：

GENE | 2003年 / 302卷 / 1-2期

关键词：

homeobox genes; methylation patterns; methylation kinetics; mouse development; gene expression;

D O I：

10.1016/S0378111902010910

中图分类号：

Q3 [遗传学];

学科分类号：

071007 ; 090102 ;

摘要：

Expression and function of homeobox genes (Hox genes) in development have been subject to extensive study in a variety of organisms including mammals, however practically nothing is known regarding the methylation patterns of these genes. Here we describe the methylation patterns of HoxA5 and HoxB5 in various tissues of fetal and adult mice and their relevance to expression. Both genes exhibit tissue specific methylation patterns that are established postnatally. This methylation appears to play a role in stabilizing the newly acquired silent state of the genes. In contrast to the postimplantation wave of de novo methylation that takes place across the mammalian genome, the methylation of the Hox genes represents a different time window for de novo methylation which might be characteristic of developmental genes. In the case of HoxA5 this postnatal de novo methylation can cover a domain of at least 25 kb that includes several genes of the HoxA cluster and the CpG islands within. Our observations suggest that the establishment of tissue specific methylation patterns of HoxA5 and HoxB5 and the relationship between these methylation patterns and activity are different from what had been known for non-developmental genes. This may reflect the specialized functions played by Hox genes in development. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

引用

页码：65 / 72

页数：8

共 36 条

[1] DETECTING CONSERVED REGULATORY ELEMENTS WITH THE MODEL GENOME OF THE JAPANESE PUFFER FISH, FUGU RUBRIPES [J].