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Gamete–specific methylation correlates with imprinting of the murine Xist gene

Nature Genetics volume 9, pages 312–315 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

We have investigated the potential role of DNA methylation as a regulator of imprinted Xist expression in mouse preimplantation embryos. The active paternal allele was found to be unmodified in sperm at CpG loci near the 5′ end of the gene transcription unit. In contrast, on the inactive maternal allele, these same sites are initially methylated in the oocyte and then remain modified in the early embryo. In the male germ line, these methyl moieties are removed during spermatogenesis, and this occurs before the programmed reactivation of Xist in the testis. This represents a clear–cut example of a potential methylation imprinting signal that is reprogrammable and gamete derived.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

    Mira Ariel & Howard Cedar

  2. Department of Genetics, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, P.O. Box 28147, San Antonio, Texas, 78228, USA

    Edward Robinson & John R. McCarrey

Authors
  1. Mira Ariel
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  2. Edward Robinson
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  3. John R. McCarrey
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  4. Howard Cedar
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Ariel, M., Robinson, E., McCarrey, J. et al. Gamete–specific methylation correlates with imprinting of the murine Xist gene. Nat Genet 9, 312–315 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng0395-312

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