Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.

Epigenetic Regulation

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 Regulation

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.

Inheritance of Chromatin Structures

Inheritance of Chromatin Structures

Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying DNA...

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance

Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...

Histone Modification

Histone Modification

The histone proteins have a flexible N-terminal tail extending out from the nucleosome. These histone tails are often subjected to post-translational modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Particular combinations of these modifications form “histone codes” that influence the chromatin folding and tissue-specific gene expression.
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Use of prenatal ultrasound findings to predict postnatal outcome in fetuses with lower urinary tract obstruction.

Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology·2024

Same author

Sacroiliitis in inflammatory bowel disease on abdominal computed tomography: prevalence, misses, and associated factors.

Scandinavian journal of rheumatology·2024

Same author

Can Acupuncture be a Part of the Treatment for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema? A Systematic Review of the Safety and Proposed Model for Care.

Lymphology·2023

Same author

Position paper on olfactory dysfunction: 2023

Rhinology·2023

Same author

Cardiometabolic health after first pregnancy: Associations with social determinants of health. A nuMoM2b-HHS study.

American heart journal plus : cardiology research and practice·2023

Same author

The role of endometrial staining for CD138 as a marker of chronic endometritis in predicting live birth.

Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics·2022

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Immunohistochemical Detection of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Developing and Postmitotic Mouse Retina

Immunohistochemical Detection of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Developing and Postmitotic Mouse Retina

Published on: August 29, 2018

Epigenetic mechanisms in mammals.

J K Kim¹, M Samaranayake, S Pradhan

¹New England BioLabs, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA.

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS

|November 6, 2008

Summary

Mammalian DNA and histone methylation are dynamically regulated and reversible. Enzymes like methyltransferases and demethylases, along with proteins such as MBD2, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B, orchestrate these epigenetic changes during development.

Area of Science:

Epigenetics and Mammalian Development
Molecular Biology of Gene Regulation

Background:

DNA and histone methylation are crucial epigenetic marks in mammals, inherited through cell division.
Mechanisms for propagating and maintaining methylation patterns between cell divisions are not fully elucidated.
Enzyme families capable of adding methylation marks (methyltransferases) and removing them (demethylases) have been identified.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the dynamic and reversible nature of mammalian epigenetic mechanisms.
To investigate the enzymes and proteins involved in DNA and histone methylation and demethylation.
To understand how epigenetic marks are propagated and maintained during mammalian development.

Main Methods:

Identification and characterization of enzyme families involved in methylation (methyltransferases).

More Related Videos

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues

Published on: April 5, 2018

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Published on: September 7, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Immunohistochemical Detection of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Developing and Postmitotic Mouse Retina

Immunohistochemical Detection of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Developing and Postmitotic Mouse Retina

Published on: August 29, 2018

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues

Published on: April 5, 2018

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Published on: September 7, 2017

Discovery of lysine and arginine demethylases.

Experimental demonstration of DNA demethylase activity in mammalian methyl DNA binding protein MBD2 and de novo DNA methyltransferases DNMT3A and DNMT3B.

Main Results:

Multiple enzyme families responsible for adding methylation marks to DNA and histones have been discovered.
Several demethylases targeting lysine and arginine residues have been identified.
Mammalian methyl DNA binding protein MBD2 and de novo DNA methyltransferases DNMT3A and DNMT3B exhibit DNA demethylase activity, suggesting active DNA demethylation.

Conclusions:

Mammalian epigenetic mechanisms are dynamic and reversible.
A coordinated set of enzymes and proteins, including methyltransferases, demethylases, MBD2, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B, orchestrate epigenetic regulation.
These dynamic epigenetic processes are essential for mammalian development.