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Cell lineage-specific undermethylation of mouse repetitive DNA

Nature volume 307, pages 284–286 (1984)Cite this article

Abstract

Several distinct cell lineages are established during mouse embryogenesis. The trophectoderm and primitive endoderm give rise to extraembryonic structures alone, while the primitive ectoderm becomes the fetus proper1–3. Recent studies suggest that the levels of DNA modification are lower in inactive X chromosomes from extraembryonic tissues than in embryonic and adult somatic tissues. Using HpaII/MspI isoschizomers, Southern blots and cloned probes, we show here that repetitive DNA sequences from all derivatives of the two extraembryonic lineages, trophectoderm and primitive endoderm, are substantially undermethylated compared with primitive ectoderm derivatives. This contrasts with the highly methylated state of these repetitive elements observed in adult somatic tissues. Specific demethylation or inhibition of de novo methylation, or a combination of both mechanisms, may be involved. These findings suggest that elements of gene regulation dependent on DNA modification may be different in extraembryonic cell lineages.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biology, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, New York, 14263, USA

    Verne Chapman, Lesley Forrester & Janet Sanford

  2. MRC Clinical and Population Genetics Unit, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK

    Nicholas Hastie

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St Catharines, Ontario, L2S 3A1, Canada

    Janet Rossant

Authors
  1. Verne Chapman
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  2. Lesley Forrester
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  4. Nicholas Hastie
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  5. Janet Rossant
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Chapman, V., Forrester, L., Sanford, J. et al. Cell lineage-specific undermethylation of mouse repetitive DNA. Nature 307, 284–286 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/307284a0

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