Age-dependent methylation in epigenetic clock CpGs is associated with G-quadruplex, co-transcriptionally formed RNA structures and tentative splice sites.

ABSTRACT: Horvath's epigenetic clock consists of 353 CpGs whose methylation levels can accurately predict the age of individuals. Using bioinformatics analysis, we investigated the conformation, energy characteristics and presence of tentative splice sites of the sequences surrounding the epigenetic clock CpGs, in relation to the median methylation changes in different ages, the presence of CpG islands and their position in genes. Common characteristics in the 100 nt sequences surrounding the epigenetic clock CpGs are G-quadruplexes and/or tentative splice site motifs. Median methylation increases significantly in sequences which adopt less stable structures during transcription. Methylation is higher when CpGs overlap with G-quadruplexes than when they precede them. Median methylation in epigenetic

SUBMITTER: Malousi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6224212 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature