摘要
Classical methyl-CpG binding proteins contain the conserved DNA binding motif methyl-cytosine binding domain(MBD), which preferentially binds to methylated CpG dinucleotides. These proteins serve as transcriptional repressors,mediating gene silencing via DNA cytosine methylation. Mutations in methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) have beenlinked to the human mental retardation disorder Rett syndrome, suggesting an important role for methyl-CpG bindingproteins in brain development and function. This mini-review summarizes the recent advances in studying the diversefunctions of MeCP2 as a prototype for other methyl-CpG binding proteins in the development and function of thevertebrate nervous system.
Classical methyl-CpG binding proteins contain the conserved DNA binding motif methyl-cytosine binding domain(MBD), which preferentially binds to methylated CpG dinucleotides. These proteins serve as transcriptional repressors,mediating gene silencing via DNA cytosine methylation. Mutations in methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) have beenlinked to the human mental retardation disorder Rett syndrome, suggesting an important role for methyl-CpG bindingproteins in brain development and function. This mini-review summarizes the recent advances in studying the diversefunctions of MeCP2 as a prototype for other methyl-CpG binding proteins in the development and function of thevertebrate nervous system.
关键词
神经系统
甲基化CpG蛋白质
细胞分化
染色质
组蛋白
基因抑制
DNA
胞嘧啶
MeCP2, MBD proteins, DNA methylation, neuronal differentiation, chromatin remodeling, gene silencing,histone modification.
