Tissue-specific DNA methylation in a cluster of rabbit β-like globin genes

Creators: Shen, Che-Kun James; Maniatis, Tom

Abstract

The relationship between DNA methylation and differential expression of rabbit β-like globin genes was studied by using restriction enzymes that cleave the sequence C-C-G-G but are differentially inhibited by the presence of 5-methylcytosine. The methylation frequency of 13 C-C-G-G sites that flank a set of four closely linked rabbit β-like globin genes was determined. This analysis revealed that certain sites surrounding embryonic and adult globin genes are relatively undermethylated in DNA from embryonic and adult erythroid tissues, respectively. This pattern is most pronounced for three sites that are undermethylated in erythroid cells but are totally methylated in nonerythroid cells. We conclude that the degree of CpG methylation in the rabbit β-like globin gene cluster is correlated with gene activity, but the effect is confined to relatively small regions of DNA.

Additional Information

© 1980 by the National Academy of Sciences. Communicated by Norman Davidson, July 29, 1980. We thank V. Parker and E. Butler for providing rabbit DNA samples, D. Brutlag for providing space during part of this study, and E. Meyerowitz and members of our laboratory for their critical comments on the manuscript. C.-K.J.S. and T.M. were supported by a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral training grant and by the Rita Allen Foundation, respectively. This work was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact.

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