DNA Methyltransferases: From Evolution to Clinical Applications

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2022 Aug 26

PMID 36012258

Authors

Victor M Del Castillo Falconi

Karla Torres-Arciga

Genaro Matus-Ortega

Jose Diaz-Chavez

Luis A Herrera

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mark that living beings have used in different environments. The MTases family catalyzes DNA methylation. This process is conserved from archaea to eukaryotes, from fertilization to every stage of development, and from the early stages of cancer to metastasis. The family of DNMTs has been classified into DNMT1, DNMT2, and DNMT3. Each DNMT has been duplicated or deleted, having consequences on DNMT structure and cellular function, resulting in a conserved evolutionary reaction of DNA methylation. DNMTs are conserved in the five kingdoms of life: bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals. The importance of DNMTs in whether methylate or not has a historical adaptation that in mammals has been discovered in complex regulatory mechanisms to develop another padlock to genomic insurance stability. The regulatory mechanisms that control DNMTs expression are involved in a diversity of cell phenotypes and are associated with pathologies transcription deregulation. This work focused on DNA methyltransferases, their biology, functions, and new inhibitory mechanisms reported. We also discuss different approaches to inhibit DNMTs, the use of non-coding RNAs and nucleoside chemical compounds in recent studies, and their importance in biological, clinical, and industry research.

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