Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of DNA Methylation Readout by Transcription Factors.

ABSTRACT: Epigenetic DNA modification impacts gene expression, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are only partly understood. Adding a methyl group to a cytosine base locally modifies the structural features of DNA in multiple ways, which may change the interaction with DNA-binding transcription factors (TFs) and trigger a cascade of downstream molecular events. Cells can be probed using various functional genomics assays, but it is difficult to disentangle the confounded effects of DNA modification on TF binding, chromatin accessibility, intranuclear variation in local TF concentration, and rate of transcription. Here we discuss how high-throughput in vitro profiling of protein-DNA interactions has enabled comprehensive characterization and quantification of the methylation sensitivity of TFs.

SUBMITTER: Kribelbauer JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6961349 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature