MeCP2 recognizes cytosine methylated tri-nucleotide and di-nucleotide sequences to tune transcription in the mammalian brain.

Mutations in the gene encoding the methyl-CG binding protein MeCP2 cause several neurological disorders including Rett syndrome. The di-nucleotide methyl-CG (mCG) is the classical MeCP2 DNA recognition sequence, but additional methylated sequence targets have been reported. Here we show by in vitro...

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Main Authors: Sabine Lagger, John C Connelly, Gabriele Schweikert, Shaun Webb, Jim Selfridge, Bernard H Ramsahoye, Miao Yu, Chuan He, Guido Sanguinetti, Lawrence C Sowers, Malcolm D Walkinshaw, Adrian Bird
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-05-01
Series:PLoS Genetics
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1006793&type=printable
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author Sabine Lagger
John C Connelly
Gabriele Schweikert
Shaun Webb
Jim Selfridge
Bernard H Ramsahoye
Miao Yu
Chuan He
Guido Sanguinetti
Lawrence C Sowers
Malcolm D Walkinshaw
Adrian Bird
author_facet Sabine Lagger
John C Connelly
Gabriele Schweikert
Shaun Webb
Jim Selfridge
Bernard H Ramsahoye
Miao Yu
Chuan He
Guido Sanguinetti
Lawrence C Sowers
Malcolm D Walkinshaw
Adrian Bird
author_sort Sabine Lagger
collection DOAJ
description Mutations in the gene encoding the methyl-CG binding protein MeCP2 cause several neurological disorders including Rett syndrome. The di-nucleotide methyl-CG (mCG) is the classical MeCP2 DNA recognition sequence, but additional methylated sequence targets have been reported. Here we show by in vitro and in vivo analyses that MeCP2 binding to non-CG methylated sites in brain is largely confined to the tri-nucleotide sequence mCAC. MeCP2 binding to chromosomal DNA in mouse brain is proportional to mCAC + mCG density and unexpectedly defines large genomic domains within which transcription is sensitive to MeCP2 occupancy. Our results suggest that MeCP2 integrates patterns of mCAC and mCG in the brain to restrain transcription of genes critical for neuronal function.
format Article
id doaj-art-1a9520b92d1044c68c65fae93e056e6c
institution Kabale University
issn 1553-7390
1553-7404
language English
publishDate 2017-05-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Genetics
spelling doaj-art-1a9520b92d1044c68c65fae93e056e6c2025-08-20T03:26:10ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Genetics1553-73901553-74042017-05-01135e100679310.1371/journal.pgen.1006793MeCP2 recognizes cytosine methylated tri-nucleotide and di-nucleotide sequences to tune transcription in the mammalian brain.Sabine LaggerJohn C ConnellyGabriele SchweikertShaun WebbJim SelfridgeBernard H RamsahoyeMiao YuChuan HeGuido SanguinettiLawrence C SowersMalcolm D WalkinshawAdrian BirdMutations in the gene encoding the methyl-CG binding protein MeCP2 cause several neurological disorders including Rett syndrome. The di-nucleotide methyl-CG (mCG) is the classical MeCP2 DNA recognition sequence, but additional methylated sequence targets have been reported. Here we show by in vitro and in vivo analyses that MeCP2 binding to non-CG methylated sites in brain is largely confined to the tri-nucleotide sequence mCAC. MeCP2 binding to chromosomal DNA in mouse brain is proportional to mCAC + mCG density and unexpectedly defines large genomic domains within which transcription is sensitive to MeCP2 occupancy. Our results suggest that MeCP2 integrates patterns of mCAC and mCG in the brain to restrain transcription of genes critical for neuronal function.https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1006793&type=printable
spellingShingle Sabine Lagger
John C Connelly
Gabriele Schweikert
Shaun Webb
Jim Selfridge
Bernard H Ramsahoye
Miao Yu
Chuan He
Guido Sanguinetti
Lawrence C Sowers
Malcolm D Walkinshaw
Adrian Bird
MeCP2 recognizes cytosine methylated tri-nucleotide and di-nucleotide sequences to tune transcription in the mammalian brain.
PLoS Genetics
title MeCP2 recognizes cytosine methylated tri-nucleotide and di-nucleotide sequences to tune transcription in the mammalian brain.
title_full MeCP2 recognizes cytosine methylated tri-nucleotide and di-nucleotide sequences to tune transcription in the mammalian brain.
title_fullStr MeCP2 recognizes cytosine methylated tri-nucleotide and di-nucleotide sequences to tune transcription in the mammalian brain.
title_full_unstemmed MeCP2 recognizes cytosine methylated tri-nucleotide and di-nucleotide sequences to tune transcription in the mammalian brain.
title_short MeCP2 recognizes cytosine methylated tri-nucleotide and di-nucleotide sequences to tune transcription in the mammalian brain.
title_sort mecp2 recognizes cytosine methylated tri nucleotide and di nucleotide sequences to tune transcription in the mammalian brain
url https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1006793&type=printable
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