Temporal and regional changes in DNA methylation in the embryonic, extraembryonic and germ cell lineages during mouse embryo development

DOI PDF 24 Citations
  • Marilyn Monk
    University College London MRC Mammalian Development Unit, Wolfson House , , 4 Stephensons Way, London NW1 2HE, UK
  • Michael Boubelik
    University College London MRC Mammalian Development Unit, Wolfson House , , 4 Stephensons Way, London NW1 2HE, UK
  • Sigrid Lehnert
    University College London MRC Mammalian Development Unit, Wolfson House , , 4 Stephensons Way, London NW1 2HE, UK

Abstract

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>This paper shows stage- and tissue-specific global demethylation and remethylation occurring during embryonic development. The egg genome is strikingly undermethylated and the sperm genome relatively methylated. Following a loss of genomic methylation during preimplantation development, embryonic and extraembryonic lineages are progressively and independently methylated to different final extents. Methylation continues postgastrulation and hence could be a mechanism initiating, or confirming, differential programming in the definitive germ layers. It is proposed that much of the methylation observed in somatic tissues acts to stabilize and reinforce prior events that regulate the activity of specific genes, chromosome domains or the X chromosome (in females). Fetal germ cell DNA is markedly undermethylated and we favour the idea that the germ lineage is set aside before the occurrence of extensive methylation of DNA in fetal precursor cells.</jats:p>

Journal

  • Development

    Development 99 (3), 371-382, 1987-03-01

    The Company of Biologists

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