DNA methylation shapes transcription factor binding beyond canonical CpG contexts - array 3
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ABSTRACT: Here, we systematically profile the methylation sensitivity of 18 human TFs spanning 11 structural families using chemically synthesized DNA libraries containing position-specific 5-methylcytosines (5mC) in CpG, non-CpG, and hemi-methylated contexts, measured via high-throughput protein-binding microarrays. Our results reveal extensive TF sensitivity to methylation state, position, and strand orientation—including strong binding of several TFs to non-CpG and hemi-methylated sites. The presence of 5mC can dramatically alter TF-DNA interactions: transforming low-affinity sites into high-affinity ones by enabling new contacts, or silencing otherwise favorable motifs through steric hindrance. Genomic analyses further show that the methylation-sensitive sequences identified in vitro are represented within enhancers and regulatory elements, exhibiting distinct methylation patterns across cell types. Together, our findings uncover a previously hidden layer of methylation-dependent TF-DNA recognition, broadening the understanding of epigenetics in transcriptional regulation.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus synthetic construct Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE324373 | GEO | 2026/04/01
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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