reviewScienceOct 28, 2010Closed access

Epigenetic Reprogramming in Plant and Animal Development

Howard Hughes Medical Institute · Babraham Institute

PubMed
Indexed incrossrefpubmed

Abstract

Epigenetic modifications of the genome are generally stable in somatic cells of multicellular organisms. In germ cells and early embryos, however, epigenetic reprogramming occurs on a genome-wide scale, which includes demethylation of DNA and remodeling of histones and their modifications. The mechanisms of genome-wide erasure of DNA methylation, which involve modifications to 5-methylcytosine and DNA repair, are being unraveled. Epigenetic reprogramming has important roles in imprinting, the natural as well as experimental acquisition of totipotency and pluripotency, control of transposons, and epigenetic inheritance across generations. Small RNAs and the inheritance of histone marks may also contribute to…

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Authors

3

Topics & keywords

Keywords
  • Reprogramming
  • Epigenetics
  • Biology
  • DNA methylation
  • Multicellular organism
  • DNA demethylation
  • Genetics
  • Genomic imprinting
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