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Potential functional roles of DNA demethylation intermediates.

ABSTRACT: DNA methylation in the form of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) is a key epigenetic regulator in mammals, and the dynamic balance between methylation and demethylation impacts various processes from development to disease. The recent discovery of the enzymatic generation and removal of the oxidized derivatives of 5mC, namely 5-hydroxymethylcysotine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC) in mammalian cells has led to a paradigm shift in our understanding of the demethylation process. Interestingly, emerging evidence indicates that these DNA demethylation intermediates are dynamic and could themselves carry regulatory functions. Here, we discuss 5hmC, 5fC, and 5caC as new epigenetic DNA modifications that could have distinct regulatory functions in conjunction with potential protein partners.

SUBMITTER: Song CX

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4013277 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Potential functional roles of DNA demethylation intermediates.

Song Chun-Xiao CX He Chuan C

Trends in biochemical sciences 20130808 10

DNA methylation in the form of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) is a key epigenetic regulator in mammals, and the dynamic balance between methylation and demethylation impacts various processes from development to disease. The recent discovery of the enzymatic generation and removal of the oxidized derivatives of 5mC, namely 5-hydroxymethylcysotine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC) in mammalian cells has led to a paradigm shift in our understanding of the demethylation process. ...[more]

PMID: 23932479

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Project description:BackgroundTET enzymes mediate DNA demethylation by oxidizing 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in DNA to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). Since these oxidized methylcytosines (oxi-mCs) are not recognized by the maintenance methyltransferase DNMT1, DNA demethylation can occur through "passive," replication-dependent dilution when cells divide. A distinct, replication-independent ("active") mechanism of DNA demethylation involves excision of 5fC and 5caC by the DNA repair enzyme thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG), followed by base excision repair.ResultsHere by analyzing inducible gene-disrupted mice, we show that DNA demethylation during primary T cell differentiation occurs mainly through passive replication-dependent dilution of all three oxi-mCs, with only a negligible contribution from TDG. In addition, by pyridine borane sequencing (PB-seq), a simple recently developed method that directly maps 5fC/5caC at single-base resolution, we detect the accumulation of 5fC/5caC in TDG-deleted T cells. We also quantify the occurrence of concordant demethylation within and near enhancer regions in the Il4 locus. In an independent system that does not involve cell division, macrophages treated with liposaccharide accumulate 5hmC at enhancers and show altered gene expression without DNA demethylation; loss of TET enzymes disrupts gene expression, but loss of TDG has no effect. We also observe that mice with long-term (1 year) deletion of Tdg are healthy and show normal survival and hematopoiesis.ConclusionsWe have quantified the relative contributions of TET and TDG to cell differentiation and DNA demethylation at representative loci in proliferating T cells. We find that TET enzymes regulate T cell differentiation and DNA demethylation primarily through passive dilution of oxi-mCs. In contrast, while we observe a low level of active, replication-independent DNA demethylation mediated by TDG, this process does not appear to be essential for immune cell activation or differentiation.

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Potential functional roles of DNA demethylation intermediates.

Publications

Potential functional roles of DNA demethylation intermediates.

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