Epigenetic regulation of germline fate during embryonic development and oncogenesis

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During embryogenesis genes are switched on and off by a variety of molecular mechanisms. One such gene-silencing mechanism is DNA methylation. This chemical modification mostly targets germline-specific genes in early embryos. In adults, the loss of this mark and the reactivation of this set of genes has been observed in many cancers including melanoma, hepatic and lung cancer. Here I aim to explore the molecular underpinnings of these events and determine their role in cancer formation.