Conserved characteristics of heterochromatin-forming DNA at the 15q11-q13 imprinting center.

ABSTRACT: Nuclear matrix binding assays (NMBAs) define certain DNA sequences as matrix attachment regions (MARs), which often have cis-acting epigenetic regulatory functions. We used NMBAs to analyze the functionally important 15q11-q13 imprinting center (IC). We find that the IC is composed of an unusually high density of MARs, located in close proximity to the germ line elements that are proposed to direct imprint switching in this region. Moreover, we find that the organization of MARs is the same at the homologous mouse locus, despite extensive divergence of DNA sequence. MARs of this size are not usually associated with genes but rather with heterochromatin-forming areas of the genome. In contrast, the 15q11-q13 region contains multiple transcribed genes and is unusual for being subject to geno

SUBMITTER: Greally JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC24453 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature