Active and Passive Demethylation of Male and Female Pronuclear DNA in the Mammalian Zygote

ABSTRACT: The epigenomes of mammalian sperm and oocytes, characterized by gamete-specific 5-methylcytosine (5mC) patterns, are reprogrammed during early embryogenesis to establish full developmental potential. Previous studies have suggested that the paternal genome is actively demethylated in the zygote while the maternal genome undergoes subsequent passive demethylation via DNA replication during cleavage. Active demethylation is known to depend on 5mC oxidation by Tet dioxygenases and excision of oxidized bases by thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG). Here we show that both maternal and paternal genomes undergo widespread active and passive demethylation in zygotes before the first mitotic division. Passive demethylation was blocked by the replication inhibitor aphidicolin, and active demethylation was

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

SUBMITTER: Xianlong Li 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-56650 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress