scholarly journals Sex-specific maternal programming of corticosteroid-binding globulin by predator odour

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1964) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sameera Abuaish ◽  
Sophia G. Lavergne ◽  
Benjamin Hing ◽  
Sophie St-Cyr ◽  
Richard L. Spinieli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Restraint Stress ◽  
Transcript Abundance ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Risk Environment ◽  
Promoter Dna Methylation ◽  
Corticosteroid Binding Globulin ◽  
Predator Risk ◽  
Promoter Dna ◽  
Natural Stressor ◽  
Predator Odour

Predation is a key organizing force in ecosystems. The threat of predation may act to programme the endocrine hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis during development to prepare offspring for the environment they are likely to encounter. Such effects are typically investigated through the measurement of corticosteroids (Cort). Corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) plays a key role in regulating the bioavailability of Cort, with only free unbound Cort being biologically active. We investigated the effects of prenatal predator odour exposure (POE) in mice on offspring CBG and its impact on Cort dynamics before, during and after restraint stress in adulthood. POE males, but not females, had significantly higher serum CBG at baseline and during restraint and lower circulating levels of Free Cort. Restraint stress was associated with reduced liver transcript abundance of SerpinA6 (CBG-encoding gene) only in control males. POE did not affect SerpinA6 promoter DNA methylation. Our results indicate that prenatal exposure to a natural stressor led to increased CBG levels, decreased per cent of Free Cort relative to total and inhibited restraint stress-induced downregulation of CBG transcription. These changes suggest an adaptive response to a high predator risk environment in males but not females that could buffer male offspring from chronic Cort exposure.

scholarly journals Induction of Promoter DNA Methylation Upon High-Pressure Spraying of Double-Stranded RNA in Plants

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 789
Author(s):  
Athanasios Dalakouras ◽  
Ioannis Ganopoulos
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Epigenetic Changes ◽  
Double Stranded Rna ◽  
Rna Molecules ◽  
Promoter Sequences ◽  
Promoter Dna Methylation ◽  
Promoter Dna ◽  
First Time ◽  
De Novo Methylation

Exogenous application of RNA molecules is a potent method to trigger RNA interference (RNAi) in plants in a transgene-free manner. So far, all exogenous RNAi (exo-RNAi) applications have aimed to trigger mRNA degradation of a given target. However, the issue of concomitant epigenetic changes was never addressed. Here, we report for the first time that high-pressure spraying of dsRNAs can trigger de novo methylation of promoter sequences in plants.

scholarly journals Thymoquinone Is a Multitarget Single Epidrug That Inhibits the UHRF1 Protein Complex

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 622
Author(s):  
Omeima Abdullah ◽  
Ziad Omran ◽  
Salman Hosawi ◽  
Ali Hamiche ◽  
Christian Bronner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Dna Methyltransferase ◽  
Ring Finger ◽  
Macromolecular Complex ◽  
Anticancer Activities ◽  
Histone Deacetylase 1 ◽  
Promoter Dna Methylation ◽  
New Gene ◽  
Regulatory Effects ◽  
Promoter Dna

Silencing of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) through epigenetic mechanisms, mainly via abnormal promoter DNA methylation, is considered a main mechanism of tumorigenesis. The abnormal DNA methylation profiles are transmitted from the cancer mother cell to the daughter cells through the involvement of a macromolecular complex in which the ubiquitin-like containing plant homeodomain (PHD), and an interesting new gene (RING) finger domains 1 (UHRF1), play the role of conductor. Indeed, UHRF1 interacts with epigenetic writers, such as DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), histone methyltransferase G9a, erasers like histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), and functions as a hub protein. Thus, targeting UHRF1 and/or its partners is a promising strategy for epigenetic cancer therapy. The natural compound thymoquinone (TQ) exhibits anticancer activities by targeting several cellular signaling pathways, including those involving UHRF1. In this review, we highlight TQ as a potential multitarget single epidrug that functions by targeting the UHRF1/DNMT1/HDAC1/G9a complex. We also speculate on the possibility that TQ might specifically target UHRF1, with subsequent regulatory effects on other partners.

scholarly journals Cellular Heterogeneity–Adjusted cLonal Methylation (CHALM) improves prediction of gene expression

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianfeng Xu ◽  
Jiejun Shi ◽  
Xiaodong Cui ◽  
Ya Cui ◽  
Jingyi Jessica Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cellular Heterogeneity ◽  
Biological Functions ◽  
Global Correlation ◽  
Differentially Methylated Genes ◽  
Promoter Dna Methylation ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
Promoter Dna ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

AbstractPromoter DNA methylation is a well-established mechanism of transcription repression, though its global correlation with gene expression is weak. This weak correlation can be attributed to the failure of current methylation quantification methods to consider the heterogeneity among sequenced bulk cells. Here, we introduce Cell Heterogeneity–Adjusted cLonal Methylation (CHALM) as a methylation quantification method. CHALM improves understanding of the functional consequences of DNA methylation, including its correlations with gene expression and H3K4me3. When applied to different methylation datasets, the CHALM method enables detection of differentially methylated genes that exhibit distinct biological functions supporting underlying mechanisms.

Targets and dynamics of promoter DNA methylation during early mouse development

2010 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 1093-1100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Borgel ◽  
Sylvain Guibert ◽  
Yufeng Li ◽  
Hatsune Chiba ◽  
Dirk Schübeler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Mouse Development ◽  
Promoter Dna Methylation ◽  
Promoter Dna ◽  
Early Mouse
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