Association of ATRX with pericentric heterochromatin and the Y chromosome of neonatal mouse spermatogonia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Establishment of chromosomal cytosine methylation and histone methylation patterns are critical epigenetic modifications required for heterochromatin formation in the mammalian genome. However, the nature of the primary signal(s) targeting DNA methylation at specific genomic regions is not clear. Notably, whether histone methylation and/or chromatin remodeling proteins play a role in the establishment of DNA methylation during gametogenesis is not known. The chromosomes of mouse neonatal spermatogonia display a unique pattern of 5-methyl cytosine staining whereby centromeric heterochromatin is hypo-methylated whereas chromatids are strongly methylated. Thus, in order to gain some insight into the relationship between global DNA and histone methylation in the germ line we

SUBMITTER: Baumann C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2275742 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature