Mechanisms regulating imprinted genes in clusters

Edwards, Carol A.; Ferguson-Smith, Anne C.

doi:10.1016/j.ceb.2007.04.013

Cited by 381 publications

(330 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…Imprinted genes are not distributed uniformly through the genome, but are often found in clusters where the parental allele-specific pattern of gene expression is coordinately regulated by imprinting control regions (ICRs) through long-range cis-acting mechanisms. ICRs are characterised by differing epigenetic marks on the two parentally inherited chromosomes [2]. DNA methylation and the post-translational modification of core histones are important epigenetic modifications and these play key roles in imprinting control.…”

Section: Genomic Imprintingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic imprinting as an adaptative model of developmental plasticity

2011

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Developmental plasticity can be defined as the ability of one genotype to produce a range of phenotypes in response to environmental conditions. Such plasticity can be manifest at the level of individual cells, an organ, or a whole organism. Imprinted genes are a group of approximately 100 genes with functionally monoallelic, parental‐origin specific expression. As imprinted genes are critical for prenatal growth and metabolic axis development and function, modulation of imprinted gene dosage has been proposed to play a key role in the plastic development of the unborn foetus in response to environmental conditions. Evidence is accumulating that imprinted dosage may also be involved in controlling the plastic potential of individual cells or stem cell populations. Imprinted gene dosage can be modulated through canonical, transcription factor mediated mechanisms, or through the relaxation of imprinting itself, reactivating the normally silent allele.

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Section: Genomic Imprintingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic imprinting as an adaptative model of developmental plasticity

2011

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“…Studies in plants (reviewed in Kö hler and Makarevich 2006) and mammals (reviewed in Edwards and Ferguson-Smith 2007) have identified some of the key factors that are involved in the regulation of imprinted expression. In both plants and mammals, epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation and histone modifications are central components of the imprinting mechanism.…”

Section: G Enomic Imprinting Is An Epigenetic Phenomenonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disruption of Imprinting byMutatorTransposon Insertions in the 5′ Proximal Regions of theZea mays Mez1Locus

et al. 2009

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Imprinting is a form of epigenetic gene regulation in which alleles are differentially regulated according to the parent of origin. The Mez1 gene in maize is imprinted such that the maternal allele is expressed in the endosperm while the paternal allele is not expressed. Three novel Mez1 alleles containing Mutator transposon insertions within the promoter were identified. These mez1-mu alleles do not affect vegetative expression levels or result in morphological phenotypes. However, these alleles can disrupt imprinted expression of Mez1. Maternal inheritance of the mez-m1 or mez1-m4 alleles results in activation of the normally silenced paternal allele of Mez1. Paternal inheritance of the mez1-m2 or mez1-m4 alleles can also result in a loss of silencing of the paternal Mez1 allele. The paternal disruption of imprinting by transposon insertions may reflect a requirement for sequence elements involved in targeting silencing of the paternal allele. The maternal disruption of imprinting by transposon insertions within the Mez1 promoter suggests that maternally produced MEZ1 protein may be involved in silencing of the paternal Mez1 allele. The endosperms with impaired imprinting did not exhibit phenotypic consequences associated with bi-allelic Mez1 expression.

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“…Parent-oforigin-specific expression of genetically identical alleles is achieved by the application of specific epigenetic modifications in the gametes. In particular, DNA methylation and Polycomb group (PcG)-mediated trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) have been widely recognized as important epigenetic marks distinguishing maternally and paternally inherited alleles in mammals (Umlauf et al, 2004;Edwards and Ferguson-Smith, 2007) as well as in plants (Kinoshita et al, 2004;Baroux et al, 2006;Gehring et al, 2006;Xiao et al, 2006;Makarevich et al, 2008;Jullien et al, 2006a, b).…”

Section: Imprinting Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%