title: Global and gene specific DNA methylation changes during zebrafish development.
abstract: DNA methylation is dynamic through the life of an organism. Previous studies have primarily focused on DNA methylation changes during very early embryogenesis. In this study, global and gene specific DNA methylation in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos, larvae and adult livers were compared. The percent methylation of cytosines was low in 2 to 4.3h post fertilization (hpf) zebrafish embryos and was consistently higher in zebrafish older than 6 hpf. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) results showed relatively high DNA methyltransferase 1 (dnmt1) and low glycine N-methyltransferase (gnmt) mRNA expression in early embryogenesis. By studying methylation patterns and gene expression of five developmentally important genes, namely vasa, Ras-association domain family member 1 (rassf1), telomerase reverse transcriptase (tert), c-jun and c-myca, we found that the timing of changes in DNA methylation patterns was gene specific, and changes in gene expression were not necessarily correlated with the DNA methylation patterns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Environmental Toxicology Research Program, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
authors.forename: Xiefan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jone
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corrales
authors.forename: Cammi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Scheffler
authors.forename: Kristine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Willett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003596:Cytosine / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003596:Cytosine; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases
keywords: CGI; CpG; CpG island; Cytosine phosphate guanine; DNA methylation; DNA methyltransferase; Glycine N-methyltransferase; HCP; High CpG promoter; Hours post fertilization; ICP; Intermediate CpG promoter; LCP; Low CpG promoter; PGCs; Primordial germ cells; Ras association domain family member 1; TSS; Telomerase reverse transcriptase; Transcriptional start site; development; dnmt; gnmt; hpf; rassf1; tert; vasa; zebrafish