Imprinted genes and imprinting control regions show predominant intermediate methylation in adult somatic tissues.

ABSTRACT: Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic feature characterized by parent-specific monoallelic gene expression. The aim of this study was to compare the DNA methylation status of imprinted genes and imprinting control regions (ICRs), harboring differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in a comprehensive panel of 18 somatic tissues. The germline DMRs analyzed were divided into ubiquitously imprinted and placenta-specific DMRs, which show identical and different methylation imprints in adult somatic and placental tissues, respectively. We showed that imprinted genes and ICR DMRs maintain methylation patterns characterized by intermediate methylation levels in somatic tissues, which are pronounced in a specific region of the promoter area, located 200-1500 bp from the transcription start site. This

SUBMITTER: Pervjakova N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5066126 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature