Genomic imprinting: recognition and marking of imprinted loci

Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic process resulting in the monoallelic parent-of-origin-specific expression of a subset of genes in the mammalian genome. The parental alleles are differentially marked by DNA methylation during gametogenesis when the genomes are in separate compartments. How methylation machinery recognizes and differentially modifies these imprinted regions in germ cells remains a key question in the field. While studies have focused on determining a sequence signature that alone could distinguish imprinted regions from the rest of the genome, recent reports do not support such a hypothesis. Rather, it is becoming clear that features such as transcription, histone modifications and higher order chromatin are employed either individually or in combination to set up parental imprints.