Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cooperative Binding of Transcription Regulators02:13

Cooperative Binding of Transcription Regulators

Transcriptional regulators bind to specific cis-regulatory sequences in the DNA to regulate gene transcription. These cis-regulatory sequences are very short, usually less than ten nucleotide pairs in length. The short length means that there is a high probability of the exact same sequence randomly occurring throughout the genome.  Since regulators can also bind to groups of similar sequences, this further increases the chances of random binding. Transcriptional regulators form dimers that...
Cooperative Binding of Transcription Regulators02:13

Cooperative Binding of Transcription Regulators

Transcriptional regulators bind to specific cis-regulatory sequences in the DNA to regulate gene transcription. These cis-regulatory sequences are very short, usually less than ten nucleotide pairs in length. The short length means that there is a high probability of the exact same sequence randomly occurring throughout the genome.  Since regulators can also bind to groups of similar sequences, this further increases the chances of random binding. Transcriptional regulators form dimers that...
Spreading of Chromatin Modifications02:25

Spreading of Chromatin Modifications

The histone proteins in the nucleosomes are post-translationally modified (PTM) to increase or decrease access to DNA. The commonly observed PTMs are methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination of lysine amino acids in the histone H3 tail region. These histone modifications have specific meaning for the cell. Hence, they are called "histone code". The protein complex involved in histone modification is termed as "reader-writer" complex.
Writers
The writer is an enzyme that can...
Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators02:04

Covalently Linked Protein Regulators

Proteins can undergo many types of post-translational modifications, often in response to changes in their environment. These modifications play an important role in the function and stability of these proteins. Covalently linked molecules include functional groups, such as methyl, acetyl, and phosphate groups, and also small proteins, such as ubiquitin. There are around 200 different types of covalent regulators that have been identified.
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Defined bacterial consortium highlights the impact of intestinal bacteria on DNA methylation and tumorigenesis.

Genome biology·2026
Same author

Comment on: 'Orthoptic stroke services in the UK and Ireland: how have they evolved'.

Eye (London, England)·2026
Same author

Bone marrow immunosuppressive states associate with survival after guadecitabine and atezolizumab therapy in HMA-R/R MDS.

Blood neoplasia·2026
Same author

Real-World Performance of Artificial Intelligence in Diabetic Retinopathy Screening: A Systematic Review.

Cureus·2026
Same author

Synthetic-Dimensions-Engineered Fiber-Optic Tamm Plasmon Metatips Enabling High-Dimensional Manipulation for Enhanced Hydrogen Sensing.

ACS nano·2026
Same author

Development of a self-management manual for patients with refractory cancer pain treated with a semi-implantable intrathecal drug delivery system: a Delphi study.

Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Identification of Modified Histones as Binding Substrates of Human Spindlin Family Member 4 (SPIN4) by Peptide Arrays and Native Nucleosome Pulldown
09:34

Identification of Modified Histones as Binding Substrates of Human Spindlin Family Member 4 (SPIN4) by Peptide Arrays and Native Nucleosome Pulldown

Published on: March 27, 2026

An Sp1/Sp3 binding polymorphism confers methylation protection.

Yanis A Boumber1, Yutaka Kondo, Xuqi Chen

  • 1Department of Leukemia, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, Texas, United States of America.

Plos Genetics
|August 30, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Genetic variations in the RIL gene promoter influence DNA hypermethylation in cancer. A specific polymorphism affects Sp1/Sp3 transcription factor binding, leading to altered gene silencing and epigenetic states.

More Related Videos

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images
09:42

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Published on: September 7, 2017

Methyl-binding DNA capture Sequencing for Patient Tissues
08:40

Methyl-binding DNA capture Sequencing for Patient Tissues

Published on: October 31, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Identification of Modified Histones as Binding Substrates of Human Spindlin Family Member 4 (SPIN4) by Peptide Arrays and Native Nucleosome Pulldown
09:34

Identification of Modified Histones as Binding Substrates of Human Spindlin Family Member 4 (SPIN4) by Peptide Arrays and Native Nucleosome Pulldown

Published on: March 27, 2026

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images
09:42

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Published on: September 7, 2017

Methyl-binding DNA capture Sequencing for Patient Tissues
08:40

Methyl-binding DNA capture Sequencing for Patient Tissues

Published on: October 31, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics
  • Cancer Biology
  • Molecular Genetics

Background:

  • Aberrant DNA hypermethylation is common in cancer, but its causes are often unclear.
  • The RIL gene is frequently targeted for methylation in cancerous cells.
  • Understanding factors influencing RIL gene hypermethylation is crucial for cancer research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the causes of RIL gene hypermethylation in cancer.
  • To identify genetic factors that influence RIL promoter methylation.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which genetic polymorphisms impact epigenetic states.

Main Methods:

  • Pyrosequencing and bisulfite sequencing to quantify DNA methylation.
  • Electrophoretic mobility shift assays to assess transcription factor binding.
  • Transient and stable transfection of RIL allele-specific transgenes to study gene expression and methylation dynamics.

Main Results:

  • A 12-bp polymorphism creating a long allele at the RIL transcription start site was identified.
  • Short RIL alleles showed significantly higher methylation levels (2.1- to 3.1-fold) compared to long alleles.
  • The long allele's polymorphic region binds Sp1 and Sp3 transcription factors, unlike the short allele.
  • The long allele demonstrated protection against time-dependent silencing and maintained stable expression.

Conclusions:

  • Genetic polymorphisms at gene promoters can dictate cancer-associated DNA hypermethylation.
  • Protein-DNA interactions involving transcription factors like Sp1/Sp3 play a role in RIL gene silencing.
  • This study reveals a novel mechanism linking genetic variation to epigenetic dysregulation in cancer.