Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Stancheva I
PROVIDER: S-EPMC316362 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Genes & development 20000201 3
In Xenopus laevis zygotic transcription begins at the midblastula transition (MBT). Prior to this the genome is organized into chromatin that facilitates rapid cycles of DNA replication but not transcription. Here we demonstrate that DNA methylation contributes to the overall transcriptional silencing before MBT. Transient depletion of the maternal DNA methyltransferase (xDnmt1) by anti sense RNA during cleavage stages is associated with a decrease in the genomic 5-methyl-cytosine content and le ...[more]