MBD family proteins: reading the epigenetic code
MBD family proteins: reading the epigenetic code
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DOI：
10.1242/jcs.03099
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发表时间：
2006-08-01
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
Wade, Paul A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Fatemi, Mehrnaz;Wade, Paul A.
哺乳动物细胞中DNA的甲基化起着划分基因组功能特化区域的作用，并与转录抑制密切相关。人们普遍认为，一个高度保守的DNA结合蛋白家族具有共同的序列基序，可以将甲基化模式所代表的信息转换为适当的功能状态。这个家族，MBD家族，在生化和遗传水平上都具有特征。考虑到它们高度相似的DNA结合面，一个关键问题是，单个MBD蛋白是否与基因组中的不同区域有差异地结合，如果是，通过什么机制。有些令人惊讶的是，一些MBD家族成员，如MeCP2，对特定序列有相当大的选择性。其他家族成员，如Mbd2，似乎对甲基化的DNA具有某种松弛的特异性结合。最近的遗传和分子实验对这些和其他与这个有趣的蛋白质家族的染色体生物学相关的问题有了相当大的了解。
Methylation of DNA in mammalian cells serves to demarcate functionally specialized regions of the genome and is strongly associated with transcriptional repression. A highly conserved family of DNA-binding proteins characterized by a common sequence motif is widely believed to convert the information represented by methylation patterns into the appropriate functional state. This family, the MBD family, has been characterized at both the biochemical and genetic levels. A key issue, given their highly similar DNA-binding surfaces, is whether the individual MBD proteins bind differentially to distinct regions within the genome and, if so, by what mechanism. Somewhat surprisingly, some MBD family members, such as MeCP2, have considerable selectivity for specific sequences. Other family members, such as MBD2, appear to bind with somewhat relaxed specificity to methylated DNA. Recent genetic and molecular experiments have shed considerable light on these and other issues relevant to the chromosomal biology of this interesting protein family.