title: Breaching the boundaries that safeguard against repression.
abstract: In a recent issue of Molecular Cell, Witcher and Emerson (2009) demonstrate that CTCF loss of function, via defective steps in poly (ADP-ribosyl)ation, may predispose key genes in cancer cells to addition of abnormal promoter DNA methylation and silencing.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Vijay K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Baylin
mesh_terms: D000076246:CCCTC-Binding Factor; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011064:Poly Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose / Q000378:metabolism*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000076246:CCCTC-Binding Factor; C000619697:CTCF protein, human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D011064:Poly Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose