DNA Hypomethylation Causes an Increase in DNase-I Sensitivity and an Advance in the Time of Replication of the Entire Inactive X Chromosome

Overview

Journal Chromosoma

Specialty Molecular Biology

Date 1985 Jan 1

PMID 4085302

Citations 17

Authors

E Jablonka

R Goitein

M Marcus

H Cedar

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We have examined the effect of 5-azacytidine (5-aza-C) induced hypomethylation of DNA on the time of replication and DNase I sensitivity of the X chromosomes of female Gerbillus gerbillus (rodent) lung fibroblast cells. Using in situ nick translation to visualise the potential state of activity of large regions of metaphase chromosomes we show that 5-aza-C causes a dramatic increase in the DNase-I sensitivity of the entire inactive X chromosome of female G. gerbillus cells and this increase in nuclease sensitivity correlates with a large shift in the time of replication of the inactive X chromosome from late S phase to early S phase. These effects of 5-aza-C on the inactive X chromosome are associated with a 15% decrease in DNA methylation. Our results indicate that DNA methylation concomitantly affects both the time of replication and the chromatin conformation of the inactive X chromosome.

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