Genome-wide analyses reveal a role of Polycomb in promoting hypomethylation of DNA methylation valleys.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Previous studies showed that the majority of developmental genes are devoid of DNA methylation at promoters even when they are repressed. Such hypomethylated regions at developmental genes are unusually large and extend well beyond proximal promoters, forming DNA methylation valleys (DMVs) or DNA methylation canyons. However, it remains elusive how most developmental genes can evade DNA methylation regardless of their transcriptional states.

Results

We show that DMVs are hypomethylated in development and are highly conserved across vertebrates. Importantly, DMVs are hotspots of regulatory regions for key developmental genes and show low levels of deamination mutation rates. By analyzing a panel of DNA methylomes from mouse tissues, we identify a subset of DMVs tha

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5806489 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature