Maintenance of embryonic gene activity into the adult state.
It is now apparent that certain embryonic gene activities may be maintained before the transition from embryonic to the adult state takes place. The consequence of such a condition could have far reaching results and create a totally new approach to biotechnology by dealing with epigenetic methods and not gene-splicing methods. For example, if a group of c-oncogenes, believed to be of the embryonic type (1) that are responsible for growth factors which regulate embryonic rates of growth, then large increases in growth rates during the adult stage should occur. Two major alterations seem to be required. One is the interference of DNA methylation patterns using such agents as ethionine (interfering with S-adenoysl-1-methionine synthesis) or azacytidine (interfering with DNA methylase activity). Secondly, a change in chromatin configuration (deheterochromatization?) with agents such as n-butyrate or hexamethylenebisacetamide (HMBA). Maintenance methylases would make the altered (hypomethylated) pattern of the perturbed chromatin invariant after the initial perturbation. Enhancer-promoter mechanics are probably pertinent to this process.
Hancock
R L
RL
Canadian Institute of Theoretical Biology, Nova Scotia.
D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008745:Methylation; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009857:Oncogenes
D004247:DNA