Analysis of DNA demethylation by Glial cells missing genes

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25650005
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Shiga University of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: Hitoshi Seiji 滋賀医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (70300895)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TOMITA KOICHI 高知大学, 医学部, 准教授 (80314285)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: エピジェネティクス / 能動的DNA脱メチル化 / 受精卵

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation and histone modifications, which occur without changing the DNA sequence and alter gene expression. The DNA methylation was frequently found in transcriptionally inactive gene loci and it was thought to be a unidirectional and persistent process to silence gene action. However, recent findings have challenged this notion and suggest that 5-methylcytosine can be reversed to cytosine even in postmitotic neurons by active DNA demethylation process. We have recently identified Gcm genes are responsible to the active demethylation in early mammalian development. Here, we investigated biochemical characteristics of the active DNA demethylation by Gcm and found that it could work in a quite novel fashion. In addition, we observed that Gcm2 deficient embryos made by in vitro fertilization showed abnormal cell divisions by 4-cell stage. These results suggest that Gcm genes play critical roles in the epigenetic regulation of early embryos.

Free Research Field

神経化学