How to translate text using browser tools
17 April 2013 Effects of Dppa3 on DNA Methylation Dynamics During Primordial Germ Cell Development in Mice
Hiroyuki Nakashima, Tohru Kimura, Yoshiaki Kaga, Tsunetoshi Nakatani, Yoshiyuki Seki, Toshinobu Nakamura, Toru Nakano
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

DNA methylation is a central epigenetic event that regulates cellular differentiation, reprogramming, and pathogenesis. Genomewide DNA demethylation occurs in preimplantation embryos and in embryonic germ cell precursors called primordial germ cells (PGCs). We previously showed that Dppa3, also known as Stella and PGC7, protects the maternal genome from tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 3 (Tet3)-mediated conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in zygotes. Here, we demonstrated that retrotransposon genes, such as long interspersed nuclear element-1 (Line-1) and intracisternal A particle (IAP), showed higher 5mC levels in Dppa3-null PGCs. In contrast, oxidative bisulfite sequence analysis revealed that the amounts of 5hmC in Line-1 and IAP were slightly reduced in the Dppa3-deficient PGCs. From our findings, we propose that Dppa3 is involved in the Tet-mediated active demethylation process during reprogramming of PGCs.

Hiroyuki Nakashima, Tohru Kimura, Yoshiaki Kaga, Tsunetoshi Nakatani, Yoshiyuki Seki, Toshinobu Nakamura, and Toru Nakano "Effects of Dppa3 on DNA Methylation Dynamics During Primordial Germ Cell Development in Mice," Biology of Reproduction 88(5), (17 April 2013). https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.112.105932
Received: 2 November 2012; Accepted: 1 March 2013; Published: 17 April 2013
KEYWORDS
DNA demethylation
epigenetics
Primordial germ cell
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top