New genetic sensor for DNA methylation discovered
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DNA methylation is a process in which a methyl group is attached to the cytosine base of the DNA molecule, and is a major way that DNA is epigenetically marked. Epigenetic modifications can act as on–off switches to regulate gene expression and help generate diverse cell types without changing the underlying DNA sequence. It is how the body ensures that brain-related genes don't get turned on in heart cells, for example.
For this reason, maintenance of the DNA methylation pattern is important to ensure the correct and consistent function of each cell type. But this is no easy feat: the DNA methylation pattern can change over time, and this is linked to a variety of diseases.
One is a rare genetic condition called immunodeficiency, centromeric instability and facial anomalies (ICF) syndrome, whose symptoms include recurrent respiratory infections, facial anomalies, and slowed growth and cognition.
