Distribution, recognition and regulation of non-CpG methylation in the adult mammalian brain.

ABSTRACT: DNA methylation has critical roles in the nervous system and has been traditionally considered to be restricted to CpG dinucleotides in metazoan genomes. Here we show that the single base-resolution DNA methylome from adult mouse dentate neurons consists of both CpG (~75%) and CpH (~25%) methylation (H = A/C/T). Neuronal CpH methylation is conserved in human brains, enriched in regions of low CpG density, depleted at protein-DNA interaction sites and anticorrelated with gene expression. Functionally, both methylated CpGs (mCpGs) and mCpHs can repress transcription in vitro and are recognized by methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) in neurons in vivo. Unlike most CpG methylation, CpH methylation is established de novo during neuronal maturation and requires DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A)

SUBMITTER: Guo JU 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3970219 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature