Reading the unique DNA methylation landscape of the brain: Non-CpG methylation, hydroxymethylation, and MeCP2

B Kinde, HW Gabel, CS Gilbert… - Proceedings of the …, 2015 - National Acad Sciences
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2015National Acad Sciences
DNA methylation at CpG dinucleotides is an important epigenetic regulator common to
virtually all mammalian cell types, but recent evidence indicates that during early postnatal
development neuronal genomes also accumulate uniquely high levels of two alternative
forms of methylation, non-CpG methylation and hydroxymethylation. Here we discuss the
distinct landscape of DNA methylation in neurons, how it is established, and how it might
affect the binding and function of protein readers of DNA methylation. We review studies of …
DNA methylation at CpG dinucleotides is an important epigenetic regulator common to virtually all mammalian cell types, but recent evidence indicates that during early postnatal development neuronal genomes also accumulate uniquely high levels of two alternative forms of methylation, non-CpG methylation and hydroxymethylation. Here we discuss the distinct landscape of DNA methylation in neurons, how it is established, and how it might affect the binding and function of protein readers of DNA methylation. We review studies of one critical reader of DNA methylation in the brain, the Rett syndrome protein methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2), and discuss how differential binding affinity of MeCP2 for non-CpG and hydroxymethylation may affect the function of this methyl-binding protein in the nervous system.
National Acad Sciences