DNA methylation is the common base modification in the eukaryotic genome and is an important epigenetic mechanism. Methylation at the five-carbon of cytosine is a reversible process that can directly influence gene activity and the reaction is catalyzed by a family of DNA methyltransferases(DNMTs). DNA methylation is essential for normal mammals development and plays an important role in the affects a wide range of essential biological processes, and it includes silencing of transposable elements, inactivation of genes, maintenance of chromosomal integrity, X chromosome inactivation.and transcriptional regulation of a large number of genes and so on.%在真核生物基因组中DNA甲基化是一种重要的修饰方式,也是一种重要的表观遗传学机制.通常甲基化发生在胞嘧啶第5个碳原子上,由DNA甲基化转移酶(DNMTs)家族催化形成的.DNA甲基化是一种可逆的过程,并且直接影响到基因的活性.DNA甲基化对于哺乳动物的正常发育起着非常重要的作用,并在很大程度上影响着哺乳动物重要的生物学进程,主要包括转录成分的沉默、基因失活、染色体的完整性和大部分基因的转录调控作用.
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