DNA methylation shapes transcription factor binding beyond canonical CpG contexts.

ABSTRACT: Cytosine methylation is a key epigenetic modification that regulates transcription factor (TF) binding and gene expression. While most current understanding of methylation-sensitive TF binding derives from studies focused exclusively on fully methylated CpG sites, alternative forms-such as non-CpG and hemimethylation-are increasingly recognized as widespread and functionally important, particularly in embryonic stem cells and neurons. However, the direct impact of these alternative methylation contexts on TF-DNA interactions remains poorly defined, largely because current binding assays introduce methylation enzymatically, which precludes strand-specific and position-resolved measurements. Here, we systematically profile the methylation sensitivity of 18 human TFs spanning 11 structural fa

SUBMITTER: Miodownik I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12745676 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature