Promoter DNA methylation couples genome-defense mechanisms to epigenetic reprogramming in the mouse germline (part 1)

ABSTRACT: Mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs) erase global DNA methylation (5mC) as part of the comprehensive epigenetic reprogramming that occurs during PGC development. 5mC plays an important role in maintaining stable gene silencing and repression of transposable elements (TE) but it is not clear how the extensive loss of DNA methylation impacts on gene expression and TE repression in developing PGCs. Using a novel epigenetic disruption and recovery screen and genetic analyses, we identified a core set of germline-specific genes that are dependent exclusively on promoter DNA methylation for initiation and maintenance of developmental silencing. These gene promoters appear to possess a specialised chromatin environment that does not acquire any of the repressive H3K27me3, H3K9me2, H3K9me3 or H4K20m

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

SUBMITTER: Jamie Hackett 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-38305 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress