title: DNA demethylation dynamics.
abstract: The discovery of cytosine hydroxymethylation (5hmC) suggested a simple means of demethylating DNA and activating genes. Further experiments, however, unearthed an unexpectedly complex process, entailing both passive and active mechanisms of DNA demethylation by the ten-eleven translocation (TET) and AID/APOBEC families of enzymes. The consensus emerging from these studies is that removal of cytosine methylation in mammalian cells can occur by DNA repair. These reports highlight that in certain contexts, DNA methylation is not fixed but dynamic, requiring continuous regulation.
authors.affiliation: Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5175, USA.
authors.forename: Nidhi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhutani
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Blau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D003596:Cytosine / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004260:DNA Repair; D047108:Embryonic Development; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D003596:Cytosine; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase