Molecular rules governing de novo methylation in cancer.
De novo methylation of CpG islands is seen in many cancers, but the general rules governing this process are not known. By analyzing DNA from tumors, as well as normal tissues, and by utilizing a range of published data, we have identified a universal set of tumor targets, each with its own "coefficient" of methylation that is largely correlated with its inherent relative ability to recruit polycomb. This pattern is initially formed by a slow process of de novo methylation that occurs during aging and then undergoes expansion early in tumorigenesis, where we hypothesize that it may act as an inhibitor of development-associated gene activation.
Authors' Affiliations: Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University Medical School, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem; Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot; Department of Computer Sciences, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa; Agilent Laboratories, Tel Aviv, Israel; and Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, California.
Deborah
D
Nejman
Ravid
R
Straussman
Israel
I
Steinfeld
Michael
M
Ruvolo
Douglas
D
Roberts
Zohar
Z
Yakhini
Howard
H
Cedar
D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D006657:Histones