Publications by authors named "Amir D Hay"
Nat Commun
September 2023
Article Synopsis
- DNA methylation at CpG sites is typically viewed as a stable epigenetic marker, but new research shows its inheritance is more complex than previously thought.
- High-throughput bisulfite sequencing revealed that while methylation is generally stable at low and high levels, intermediate methylation does not maintain this stability consistently across the genome.
- The study suggests that changes in intermediate methylation are likely influenced by the enzyme DNMT1 and challenges the conventional understanding of DNA methylation as a reliable marker for epigenetic inheritance, raising questions about its functional significance.
Article Synopsis
- Transposable elements (TEs), especially intracisternal A particle (IAP) TEs in mice, have varying levels of cytosine methylation, influencing their activity and genomic function.
- The study reveals two classes of IAPs: tissue-specific variable methylation (tsVM-IAPs) and those with consistent methylation across tissues (cVM-IAPs), both capable of regulating nearby genes.
- Findings suggest that genetic sequences, CTCF binding, and DNA methylation interplay to create individual differences in gene expression, potentially leading to variations in traits and phenotypes.
