Postnatal epigenetic regulation of intestinal stem cells requires DNA methylation and is guided by the microbiome.

ABSTRACT:

Background

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism central to development and maintenance of complex mammalian tissues, but our understanding of its role in intestinal development is limited.

Results

We use whole genome bisulfite sequencing, and find that differentiation of mouse colonic intestinal stem cells to intestinal epithelium is not associated with major changes in DNA methylation. However, we detect extensive dynamic epigenetic changes in intestinal stem cells and their progeny during the suckling period, suggesting postnatal epigenetic development in this stem cell population. We find that postnatal DNA methylation increases at 3' CpG islands (CGIs) correlate with transcriptional activation of glycosylation genes responsible for intestinal maturation. To directl

SUBMITTER: Yu DH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4589031 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature