title: CpG islands and the regulation of transcription.
abstract: Vertebrate CpG islands (CGIs) are short interspersed DNA sequences that deviate significantly from the average genomic pattern by being GC-rich, CpG-rich, and predominantly nonmethylated. Most, perhaps all, CGIs are sites of transcription initiation, including thousands that are remote from currently annotated promoters. Shared DNA sequence features adapt CGIs for promoter function by destabilizing nucleosomes and attracting proteins that create a transcriptionally permissive chromatin state. Silencing of CGI promoters is achieved through dense CpG methylation or polycomb recruitment, again using their distinctive DNA sequence composition. CGIs are therefore generically equipped to influence local chromatin structure and simplify regulation of gene activity.
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Aimée M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Deaton
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bird
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D024363:Transcription Initiation Site
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins