摘要
DNA甲基化是一种在原核和真核生物基因组中常见的复制后修饰,参与体内多种重要生理过程,主要包括:调节基因表达,基因印记,维持染色体完整性以及X-染色体灭活等。依据结构和功能的不同,哺乳动物中DNA甲基转移酶(Dnmts)主要分为两大类:DNA甲基化维持酶Dnmt1以及DNA从头甲基化酶Dnmt3a、,Dnmt3b和Dnmt3L等。此外,Dnmt2也具有弱的DNA甲基转移酶活性,近年来发现它可以甲基化tRNAAsp反密码子环处38C。这些Dnmts对于哺乳动物的生长发育是十分重要的,它们的功能异常将导致胚胎发育障碍,癌症等多种疾病。因此,Dnmts可能成为一个重要的分子靶标,在疾病的治疗和预防中发挥重要作用。文章就Dnmts的分类、功能以及研究进展进行综述。
DNA methylation is a postreplicative modification occurred in most prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes, which has a variety of important biological functions including regulation of gene expression, gene imprinting, preservation of chromosomal integrity, and X-chromosome inactivation. According to their structure and functions, DNA methyltransferases （Dnmts） are divided into two major families in mammalian cells： maintenance methyltransferase （Dnmt1） and de novo methyltransferases （Dnmt3a, Dnmt3b, and Dnmt3L）. In addition, Dnmt2 also displays weak DNA methyltransferase catalytic activity, but newly founded function is to methylate cytosine 38 in the anti-codon loop of tRNAAsp. These Dnmts are crucial for mammalian growth and development. Dnmts deficiency will lead to embryonic development defects, cancer, and other diseases. Therefore, Dnmts could be important therapeutical targets. This article summarizes the classification, function, and recent research progress in DNA methyltransferases.
出处
《遗传》
CAS
CSCD
北大核心
2009年第9期903-912,共10页
Hereditas（Beijing)
基金
国家自然科学基金项目(编号:30671156)
北京市自然科学基金项目(编号:5072014)资助
