title: [Applications of DNA methylation markers in forensic medicine].
abstract: DNA methylation is a post-replication modification that is predominantly found in cytosines of the dinucleotide sequence CpG. Epigenetic information is stored in the distribution of the modified base 5-methylcytosine. DNA methylation profiles represent a more chemically and biologically stable source of molecular diagnostic information than RNA or most proteins. Recent advances attest to the great promise of DNA methylation markers as powerful future tools in the clinic. In the past decade, DNA methylation analysis has been revolutionized by two technological advances--bisulphite modification of DNA and methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP). The methylation pattern of human genome is space-time specific, sex-specific, parent-of-origin specific and disease specific, providing us an alternative way to solve forensic problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Hubei 430030, China.
authors.forename: Gui-sen
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qing-en
authors.initials: QE
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D010334:Paternity; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D004247:DNA