METHODS FOR ACTIVATING INACTIVE GENES AND METHODS FOR ALTERING THE RATE OF DEVELOPMENT OF CELLS, TISSUES AND ORGANISMS

摘要

The present invention is based on the unexpected observation that DNA methylation, particularly at cytosine residues, that regulates gene activation states and the rate of development and differentiation of cells and organisms, can be altered by providing methioninase to a cell, tissue or organism. In addition, other methylation reactions within a cell can be altered by providing methioninase to a cell, tissue or organism. Based on these observations, the present invention provides methods of activating inactive genes, methods for decreasing the rate of development of cell, tissues or an organism, methods of treating obesity and methods of treating Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders, by either providing a methioninase containing composition to a cell, tissue or organism or by introducing a methioninase encoding DNA molecule into the cell, tissue or organism. The present invention further provides organisms and cells that have been altered such that their rate of maturation is decreased and/or the degree of methylation of cellular constituents (DNA, RNA, lipids, proteins small cellular molecules, etc.) is decreased.