DNA demethylation dynamics.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 21925312.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2011.08.042 and PMC identifier 3236603.
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Abstract
The discovery of cytosine hydroxymethylation (5hmC) suggested a simple means of demethylating DNA and activating genes. Further experiments, however, unearthed an unexpectedly complex process, entailing both passive and active mechanisms of DNA demethylation by the ten-eleven translocation (TET) and AID/APOBEC families of enzymes. The consensus emerging from these studies is that removal of cytosine methylation in mammalian cells can occur by DNA repair. These reports highlight that in certain contexts, DNA methylation is not fixed but dynamic, requiring continuous regulation.
Medical subject headings
- DNA Methylation