5-羟甲基胞嘧啶的研究进展

CpG二核苷酸中胞嘧啶的甲基化形式5-甲基胞嘧啶(5-methylcytosine, 5mC)在哺乳动物中是一种常见的表观遗传修饰, 在基因表达调控、发育调节、基因组印迹等方面发挥重要作用。近3年来研究发现, 除了5mC外, 胞嘧啶碱基的另一种修饰-5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5hmC)在哺乳动物的多种组织中有着丰富的表达, 它可能与5mC有着不同的生物学功能。文章就近年来5hmC的研究进展进行了综述。     

5-羟甲基胞嘧啶的研究进展

CpG二核苷酸中胞嘧啶的甲基化形式5-甲基胞嘧啶(5-methylcytosine,5mC)在哺乳动物中是一种常见的表观遗传修饰,在基因表达调控、发育调节、基因组印迹等方面发挥重要作用。近3年来研究发现,除了5mC外,胞嘧啶碱基的另一种修饰—5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5-hydroxymethylcytosine,5hmC)在哺乳动物的多种组织中有着丰富的表达,它可能与5mC有着不同的生物学功能。文章就近年来5hmC的研究进展进行了综述。     

表观遗传学新标记——5-羟甲基胞嘧啶检测方法的研究进展

被称为"第六种碱基"的5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5hmC),广泛分布于多种哺乳动物的组织和细胞中,与胚胎发育,神经系统功能以及肿瘤研究高度相关.与5-甲基胞嘧啶(5-methylcytosine, 5mC)相比,5hmC在组织中含量更低,难以精确的检测.随着研究的深入,5hmC参与的重要生物学作用逐渐被人们发现,同时也促使着5hmC的检测和定量方法不断发展.为了区分5hmC与其他胞嘧啶衍生物,很多利用化学或者酶学修饰实现靶向检测或非靶向富集5hmC的方法应运而生.因此,选择并发展灵敏,准确,可靠的5hmC检测技术对于表观遗传研究至关重要.本文重点综述了近年来发展起来的5hmC检测和测序技术,通过比较分析各种方法的优缺点,为研究人员选择特定合适的方法开展相关研究提供重要的参考.     

TET蛋白：一个新的DNA修饰酶家族

DNA的胞嘧啶（C）5-甲基化是一种重要的表观修饰,它参与基因调节、基因组印记、X-染色体失活、重复序列抑制和癌症发生等过程. 5-甲基胞嘧啶（5mC）可被TET (ten-eleven translocation)蛋白家族进一步转化为5-羟甲基胞嘧啶（5hmC）,该过程是DNA去甲基化的1个必要阶段. 5hmC可在活性转录基因起始位点和Polycomb抑制基因启动子延伸区域富集.TET蛋白包括3个成员TET1、TET2和TET3,均属于α-酮戊二酸和Fe²⁺依赖的双加氧酶,其催化涉及氧化过程.小鼠Tet1在胚胎干细胞发育中拥有双重作用,即促进全能因子的转录,又参与发育调节因子的抑制.人TET蛋白的破坏与造血系统肿瘤相关,如在骨髓增生性疾病/肿瘤存在频繁的TET2基因突变.TET蛋白和5hmC的研究为DNA甲基化/去甲基化及其生物学功能提供了新的视点.     

真核生物基因组DNA甲基化和去甲基化分析

DNA甲基化是真核生物的重要表观遗传修饰,如胞嘧啶C~5位甲基化5-甲基胞嘧啶(5mC)和腺嘌呤N~6位甲基化6-甲基腺嘌呤(6mA)。DNA 5mC可经Tet双加氧酶催化氧化形成5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5hmC)、5-醛甲基胞嘧啶(5fC)和5-羧基胞嘧啶(5caC)。这些氧化产物不仅是去甲基化过程的中间体,而且也可能存在各自特有的表观调控功能。其中,5hmC异常可能和癌症相关,有可能成为疾病诊断的生物标志物。发展可靠、高灵敏和抗干扰能力强的DNA甲基化和去甲基化检测技术和方法至关重要,有助于理解甲基化和去甲基化的分子机制以及提高肿瘤的诊断水平。现针对DNA甲基化和去甲基化检测技术进行简要介绍。     

表观遗传学新视点——DNA羟甲基化

5-羟甲基胞嘧啶（5hmC）是新发现的一种的修饰碱基,以低水平存在于哺乳动物的多种细胞类型中。5hmC是10-11易位（TET）家族的酶通过氧化5-甲基胞嘧啶（5mC）产生的。5hmC不仅能够降低MeCP蛋白的甲基化结合结构域（MBD）与甲基化DNA的亲和性,具有潜在的参与基因表达调控的转录调节功能,而且参与了DNA去甲基化过程。因此关于5hmC的研究日益受到学者们的青睐,随着5hmC甲基化分析和检测方法学日益发展,发现5hmC分布具有组织特异性,并且5hmC在肿瘤组织中含量显著降低,可能成为某些肿瘤早期诊断的分子标志物。     

TET双加氧酶介导的主动去甲基化分子机制及功能研究

DNA甲基化作为一种重要的表观修饰,在基因表达调控及胚胎生长发育等方面起到重要作用。尽管5-甲基胞嘧啶(5mC)是一种稳定的共价修饰,但它在生物体内仍处于一个动态变化的过程,也就是说,它可能会通过某种方式发生去甲基化。而TET蛋白功能的揭示为DNA主动去甲基化提供了一条途径:TET双加氧酶可以将5mC迭代氧化形成5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5hmC)、5-醛基胞嘧啶(5fC)和5-羧基胞嘧啶(5caC),再通过DNA糖苷酶TDG介导的碱基切除修复(base excision repair,BER)途径将5mC重新变为未修饰的胞嘧啶。随着人们对TET双加氧酶及主动去甲基化研究的深入,主动去甲基化的生物学功能也被逐渐揭示。现总结了已经揭示的主动去甲基化分子机制和生物学意义,同时,概括了本实验室近些年的研究进展。     

TET蛋白去甲基化作用的相关研究进展

TET(ten-eleven translocation)蛋白属于酮戊二酸和Fe2+依赖的双加氧酶,能够产生催化氧化作用。在TET蛋白家族的催化氧化作用下5-甲基胞嘧啶(5-methylcytosine,5mC)可转化为5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5-hydroxymethylcytosine,5hmC),并可进一步转化为5-甲酰胞嘧啶(5-formylcytosine,5fC)和5-羧基胞嘧啶(5-carboxylcytosine,5caC)。TET蛋白在DNA胞嘧啶的去甲基化、胚胎发育和基因重新编码等过程都存在重要作用,其中TET蛋白参与DNA胞嘧啶的去甲基化过程的作用机制一直是研究热点,另外,有研究发现TET与肿瘤的发生也存在联系,可能成为新的肿瘤分子标志。     

《核酸研究》:科学家提出基因水平碱基分析新方法

<正>中科院生态环境中心汪海林研究组在5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5hmC)分析方面取得重要进展,提出了对该物质进行分析的新方法。相关成果近日发表于《核酸研究》(Nucleic Acids Research)。据了解,5hmC是科学家发现的第六种碱基,已在多种哺乳动物组织和细胞中检出。另外,多种肿瘤中5hmC水平偏低,使其有可能成为肿瘤     

TET蛋白的去甲基化机制及其在调控小鼠发育过程中的作用

TET(Ten-eleven translocation)蛋白家族共有3个成员,分别为TET1、TET2和TET3,均属于α-酮戊二酸(α-KG)和Fe²⁺依赖的双加氧酶,可以将5-甲基胞嘧啶(5-methylcytosine, 5 mC)氧化为5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5 hmC)、5-甲酰基胞嘧啶(5-formylcytosine, 5 fC)及5-羧基胞嘧啶(5-carboxylcytosine, 5 caC)。研究表明,TET蛋白通过不同机制以主动或被动的方式调控DNA去甲基化,且去甲基化的活性可能受其他因子的调控。TET蛋白广泛参与哺乳动物发育过程的调节,其中在原始生殖细胞的形成、胚胎发育、干细胞多能性及神经和脑发育等方面发挥了重要作用。TET蛋白生物功能的发现为表观遗传学研究开辟了全新的研究领域,而且相关研究结果对拓展生命科学研究具有重要意义。文章综述了TET蛋白家族的结构、去甲基化分子机制及在小鼠发育过程中的作用,为深入了解TET蛋白的功能提供理论基础。     

Genome-wide antagonism between 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and DNA methylation in the adult mouse brain

Mounting evidence points to critical roles for DNA modifications, including 5-methylcytosine （5mC） and its oxidized forms, in the development, plasticity and disorders of the mammalian nervous system. The novel DNA base 5- hydroxymethylcytosine （5hmC） is known to be capable of initiating passive or active DNA demethylation, but whether and how extensively 5hmC functions in shaping the post-mitotic neuronal DNA methylome is unclear. Here we report the genome-wide distribution of 5hmC in dentate granule neurons from adult mouse hippocampus in vivo. 5hmC in the neuronal genome is highly enriched in gene bodies, especially in exons, and correlates with gene expression. Direct genome-wide comparison of 5hmC distribution between embryonic stem cells and neurons reveals extensive differences, reflecting the functional disparity between these two cell types. Importantly, integrative analysis of 5hmC, overall DNA methylation and gene expression profiles of dentate granule neurons in vivo reveals the genome-wide antagonism between these two states of cytosine modifications, supporting a role for 5hmC in shaping the neuronal DNA methylome by promoting active DNA demethylation.     

Replacement of Oct4 by Tet1 during iPSC Induction Reveals an Important Role of DNA Methylation and Hydroxymethylation in Reprogramming

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Highlights? Tet1 facilitates iPSC induction by promoting Oct4 demethylation and reactivation ? Tet1 can replace Oct4 to generate fully pluripotent TSKM iPSCs ? Both 5mC and 5hmC increase on the genome during TSKM 2° reprogramming ? 5hmC promotes the demethylation of pluripotency genes during reprogramming     

Different Roles for Tet1 and Tet2 Proteins in Reprogramming-Mediated Erasure of Imprints Induced by EGC Fusion

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Highlights? EGCs can erase DNA methylation at ICRs in somatic cells after fusion ? EGCs selectively induce 5hmC accumulation at ICRs in the somatic genome ? Conversion of 5mC to 5hmC at these imprinted domains requires Tet1 ? Tet2 depletion results in delayed reprogramming by EGCs     

Lead exposure induces changes in 5-hydroxymethylcytosine clusters in CpG islands in human embryonic stem cells and umbilical cord blood

Prenatal exposure to neurotoxicants such as lead (Pb) may cause stable changes in the DNA methylation (5mC) profile of the fetal genome. However, few studies have examined its effect on the DNA de-methylation pathway, specifically the dynamic changes of the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) profile. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the relationship between Pb exposure and 5mC and 5hmC modifications during early development. To study the changes in the 5hmC profile, we use a novel modification of the Infinium™ HumanMethylation450 assay (Illumina, Inc.), which we named HMeDIP-450K assay, in an in vitro human embryonic stem cell model of Pb exposure. We model Pb exposure-associated 5hmC changes as clusters of correlated, adjacent CpG sites, which are co-responding to Pb. We further extend our study to look at Pb-dependent changes in high density 5hmC regions in umbilical cord blood DNA from 48 mother-infant pairs from the Early Life Exposure in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) cohort. For our study, we randomly selected umbilical cord blood from 24 male and 24 female children from the 1st and 4th quartiles of Pb levels. Our data show that Pb-associated changes in the 5hmC and 5mC profiles can be divided into sex-dependent and sex-independent categories. Interestingly, differential 5mC sites are better markers of Pb-associated sex-dependent changes compared to differential 5hmC sites. In this study we identified several 5hmC and 5mC genomic loci, which we believe might have some potential as early biomarkers of prenatal Pb exposure.