In bioinformatics, we study about sequences and CpG islands where C&G base pairs are repeated many times. Why is there a need to study CpG islands in prokaryotes and eukaryotes? Is the study of CpG islands gives any evolutionary mechanism between different genus and species?
CpG islands are usually located upstream of eukaryotic genes, with a peculiar composition and features that you can find in the classical paper: "CpG islands in vertebrate genomes"-M Gardiner-Garden, M Frommer-J Mol Biol, 196, 261-82, (1987)
Their methylation status often correlate with expression level of genes in mammals, for example you could find the CpG Island of a gene methylated in a tissue (or developmental stage) where the gene is silent, and you find the same island unmethylated where or when the gene need to be expressed.
You can give a look to a study with distribution of CpG islands in human chromosomes in my profie: ":Distribution of DNA methylation, CpGs, and CpG islands in human isochores"-Annalisa Varriale, Giorgio Bernardi- Genomics 95, 25–28, (2010).
About non mammalian species, CpG islands could have different features such as length or composition and could have also a different meaning but to my knowledge a precise information is still not available.
Hello, Study of CpG islands is a vast area. Their methylation is implied to ageing, cancer and even stemness of stem cells. It has relevance in epigenetics. You can find more info http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15533764 and loads of data available on internet.
CpG islands are usually located upstream of eukaryotic genes, with a peculiar composition and features that you can find in the classical paper: "CpG islands in vertebrate genomes"-M Gardiner-Garden, M Frommer-J Mol Biol, 196, 261-82, (1987)
Their methylation status often correlate with expression level of genes in mammals, for example you could find the CpG Island of a gene methylated in a tissue (or developmental stage) where the gene is silent, and you find the same island unmethylated where or when the gene need to be expressed.
You can give a look to a study with distribution of CpG islands in human chromosomes in my profie: ":Distribution of DNA methylation, CpGs, and CpG islands in human isochores"-Annalisa Varriale, Giorgio Bernardi- Genomics 95, 25–28, (2010).
About non mammalian species, CpG islands could have different features such as length or composition and could have also a different meaning but to my knowledge a precise information is still not available.
As Dr. Annalisa rightly said that CpG methylation plays an important in the expression level of the genes- uncontrolled upregulation or downregulation of these CpG methylation leads to the loss or addition of the gene expression leading to the uncontrolled proliferation of the cells as well as the genesis of the cancer
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Molecular Biology
- Molecular Biological Techniques