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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

A Non-random Mouse Model for Pharmacological Reactivation of Mecp2 on the Inactive X Chromosome
Published on: May 22, 2019
Difference between random and imprinted X inactivation in common voles
Elena V Dementyeva1, Alexander I Shevchenko, Olga V Anopriyenko
1Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Department, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, ac. Lavrentyev Avenue 10, Novosibirsk, Russia.
Abstract:
During early development in female mammals, most genes on one of the two X-chromosomes undergo transcriptional silencing. In the extraembryonic lineages of some eutherian species, imprinted X-inactivation of the paternal X-chromosome occurs. In the cells of the embryo proper, the choice of the future inactive X-chromosome is random. We mapped several genes on the X-chromosomes of five common vole species and compared their expression and methylation patterns in somatic and extraembryonic tissues, where random and imprinted X-inactivation occurs, respectively. In extraembryonic tissues, more genes were expressed on the inactive X-chromosome than in somatic tissues. We also found that the methylation status of the X-linked genes was always in accordance with their expression pattern in somatic, but not in extraembryonic tissues. The data provide new evidence that imprinted X-inactivation is less complete and/or stable than the random form and DNA methylation contributes less to its maintenance.
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