Epigenetics: differential DNA methylation in mammalian somatic tissues.

摘要: Epigenetics refers to heritable phenotypic alterations in the absence of DNA sequence changes, and methylation is one extensively studied epigenetic alterations. an evolutionally conserved mechanism regulate gene expression mammals. Because preserved during replication it can be inherited. Thus, could a major by which produce semi-stable changes somatic tissues. Although remains controversial whether germ-line mammalian genomes stably heritable, frequent tissue-specific disease-specific de novo events are observed cell development/differentiation. In this minireview, we discuss use restriction landmark genomic scanning, together with silico analysis, identify differentially methylated regions genome. We then present rough overview quantitative patterns at 4600 NotI sites more than 150 several C57BL/6J mouse Comparative analysis between mice humans suggests that some, but not all, conserved. A deeper understanding cell-type-specific differences might lead better illustration mechanisms behind differentiation