Whole-genome analysis of 5-hydroxymethylcytosines and 5-methylcytosines at base resolution in human brain

ABSTRACT: 5-hydroxymethylcytosines (5hmC) is particularly abundant in mammalian brain with little-known functions. Here we present the first genome-wide and single-base-resolution maps of 5hmC and 5mC in human brain by combined application of TAB-Seq and MethylC-Seq. We report that the majority of modified cytosines are hydroxymethylated in adult human brain, a significant proportion of which are highly-hydroxymethylated with enrichment in active genic regions and distal-regulatory elements. 5hmC is more enriched in poised than active enhancers, and CpG island shores and enhancers show comparable 5hmC profiles. Notably, 5hmC spikes were identified at the 5’ splicing sites, suggesting a link between 5hmC and splicing. Additionally, we identified a transcription-correlated 5hmC bias towards to sense strand and a 5mC bias towards antisense strand of gene bodies, and a bias towards C-rich sequences surrounding the 5hmC sites. Our data imply multiple roles for 5hmC in alternative splicing and gene regulation in addition to be an intermediate of DNA demethylation in human brain. Examination of hydroxymethylomes of 1 adult and 1 fetal brain tissue of frontal lobe, as well as 1 methylome of the same adult.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Yuexi Tan 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-46710 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress