[Role and alterations of DNA methylation during the aging and cancer].

[Role and alterations of DNA methylation during the aging and cancer]. Orv Hetil. 2018 Jan;159(1):3-15 Authors: Szigeti KA, Galamb O, Kalmár A, Barták BK, Nagy ZB, Márkus E, Igaz P, Tulassay Z, Molnár B Abstract Besides the genetic research, increasing number of scientific studies focus on epigenetic phenomena - such as DNA methylation - regulating the expression of genes behind the phenotype, thus can be related to the pathomechanism of several diseases. In this review, we aim to summarize the current knowledge about the evolutionary appearance and functional diversity of DNA methylation as one of the epigenetic mechanisms and to demonstrate its role in aging and cancerous diseases. DNA methylation is also characteristic/also appear to prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses. In prokaryotes and viruses, it provides defence mechanisms against extragenous DNA. DNA methylation in prokaryotes plays a significant role in the regulation of transcription, the initiation of replication and in Dam-directed mismatch repair. In viruses, it participates not only in defence mechanisms, but in the assembly of capsids as well which is necessary for spreading. In eukaryotes, DNA methylation is involved in recombination, replication, X chromosome inactivation, transposon control, regulation of chromatin structure and transcription, and it also contributes to the imprinting phenomenon. Besides the above-mentioned aspects, DNA methylation also has an ...
Source: Orvosi Hetilap - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Orv Hetil Source Type: research