Principles Governing DNA Methylation during Neuronal Lineage and Subtype Specification.

ABSTRACT: Although comprehensively described during early neuronal development, the role of DNA methylation/demethylation in neuronal lineage and subtype specification is not well understood. By studying two distinct neuronal progenitors as they differentiate to principal neurons in mouse hippocampus and striatum, we uncovered several principles governing neuronal DNA methylation during brain development. (1) The program consists of three stages: an initial genome-wide methylation during progenitor proliferation is followed by loss of methylation during the transition of regional progenitors to "young" hippocampal/striatal neurons, which is then reversed by gain in methylation during maturation to subtype-specific neurons. (2) At the first two stages, gain and loss of methylation are limited to CpGs

SUBMITTER: Sharma A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4737779 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature