Experimental mitochondria-targeted DNA methylation identifies GpC methylation, not CpG methylation, as potential regulator of mitochondrial gene expression.

ABSTRACT: Like the nucleus, mitochondria contain their own DNA and recent reports provide accumulating evidence that also the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is subjective to DNA methylation. This evidence includes the demonstration of mitochondria-localised DNA methyltransferases and demethylases, and the detection of mtDNA methylation as well as hydroxymethylation. Importantly, differential mtDNA methylation has been linked to aging and diseases, including cancer and diabetes. However, functionality of mtDNA methylation has not been demonstrated. Therefore, we targeted DNA methylating enzymes (modifying cytosine in the CpG or GpC context) to the mtDNA. Unexpectedly, mtDNA gene expression remained unchanged upon induction of CpG mtDNA methylation, whereas induction of C-methylation in the GpC context dec

SUBMITTER: van der Wijst MG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5428053 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature