Genomic imprinting recapitulated in the human beta-globin locus.

ABSTRACT: A subset of genes in mammals are subject to genomic imprinting. The mouse H19 gene, for example, is active only when maternally inherited and the neighboring Igf2 gene is paternally expressed. This imprinted expression pattern is regulated by the imprinting control region (ICR) upstream of the H19 gene. A maternally inherited H19 ICR inhibits Igf2 gene activation by the downstream enhancer due to its insulator function while it suppresses H19 gene transcription by promoter DNA methylation when paternally inherited. These parent-of-origin specific functions depend on the allele-specific methylation of the ICR DNA, which is established during gametogenesis. Therefore, the ICR may also function as a landmark for epigenetic modifications. To examine whether the ICR confers these activities aut

SUBMITTER: Tanimoto K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1177360 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature