Genomic mapping of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the human brain

ABSTRACT: Methylation at the 5-position of cytosine is a well-studied epigenetic pathway. In addition to 5-methylcytosine (5mC), substantial amounts of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) also referred to as the 6th DNA base, have been detected in certain tissues, most notably the brain. However, the genomic distribution of this cytosine modification is unknown. Here, we have developed an immunoprecipitation technique (5hmC-IP) to examine the occurrence of 5hmC in human DNA from brain frontal lobe tissue. The distribution of 5hmC was compared to that of 5mC. We show that 5hmC is more selectively targeted to genes than is 5mC. 5hmC is found at promoters and is particularly enriched in intragenic regions (gene bodies) but is largely absent from non-gene regions. 5hmC peaks at transcription start sites did

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Xiwei Wu 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-27051 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress