G-quadruplexes Mark Sites of Methylation Instability Associated with Ageing and Cancer
Regulation of the epigenome is critical for healthy cell function but can become disrupted with age, leading to aberrant epigenetic profiles including altered DNA methylation. Recent studies have indicated that DNA methylation homeostasis can be compromised by the formation of DNA secondary structur...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Genes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/13/9/1665 |
| _version_ | 1797487953569644544 |
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| author | Jonas Rauchhaus Jenna Robinson Ludovica Monti Marco Di Antonio |
| author_facet | Jonas Rauchhaus Jenna Robinson Ludovica Monti Marco Di Antonio |
| author_sort | Jonas Rauchhaus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Regulation of the epigenome is critical for healthy cell function but can become disrupted with age, leading to aberrant epigenetic profiles including altered DNA methylation. Recent studies have indicated that DNA methylation homeostasis can be compromised by the formation of DNA secondary structures known as G-quadruplexes (G4s), which form in guanine-rich regions of the genome. G4s can be recognised and bound by certain methylation-regulating enzymes, and in turn perturb the surrounding methylation architecture. However, the effect G4 formation has on DNA methylation at critical epigenetic sites remains elusive and poorly explored. In this work, we investigate the association between G4 sequences and prominent DNA methylation sites, termed ‘ageing clocks’, that act as <i>bona fide</i> dysregulated regions in aged and cancerous cells. Using a combination of <i>in vitro</i> (G4-seq) and <i>in cellulo</i> (BG4-ChIP) G4 distribution maps, we show that ageing clocks sites are significantly enriched with G4-forming sequences. The observed enrichment also varies across species and cell lines, being least significant in healthy cells and more pronounced in tumorigenic cells. Overall, our results suggest a biological significance of G4s in the realm of DNA methylation, which may be important for further deciphering the driving forces of diseases characterised by epigenetic abnormality, including ageing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:55:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-18449b15aead4037993600769aa94b1f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:55:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Genes |
| spelling | doaj.art-18449b15aead4037993600769aa94b1f2023-11-23T16:26:10ZengMDPI AGGenes2073-44252022-09-01139166510.3390/genes13091665G-quadruplexes Mark Sites of Methylation Instability Associated with Ageing and CancerJonas Rauchhaus0Jenna Robinson1Ludovica Monti2Marco Di Antonio3Imperial College London, Chemistry Department, Molecular Science Research Hub, 82 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UKImperial College London, Chemistry Department, Molecular Science Research Hub, 82 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UKImperial College London, Chemistry Department, Molecular Science Research Hub, 82 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UKImperial College London, Chemistry Department, Molecular Science Research Hub, 82 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UKRegulation of the epigenome is critical for healthy cell function but can become disrupted with age, leading to aberrant epigenetic profiles including altered DNA methylation. Recent studies have indicated that DNA methylation homeostasis can be compromised by the formation of DNA secondary structures known as G-quadruplexes (G4s), which form in guanine-rich regions of the genome. G4s can be recognised and bound by certain methylation-regulating enzymes, and in turn perturb the surrounding methylation architecture. However, the effect G4 formation has on DNA methylation at critical epigenetic sites remains elusive and poorly explored. In this work, we investigate the association between G4 sequences and prominent DNA methylation sites, termed ‘ageing clocks’, that act as <i>bona fide</i> dysregulated regions in aged and cancerous cells. Using a combination of <i>in vitro</i> (G4-seq) and <i>in cellulo</i> (BG4-ChIP) G4 distribution maps, we show that ageing clocks sites are significantly enriched with G4-forming sequences. The observed enrichment also varies across species and cell lines, being least significant in healthy cells and more pronounced in tumorigenic cells. Overall, our results suggest a biological significance of G4s in the realm of DNA methylation, which may be important for further deciphering the driving forces of diseases characterised by epigenetic abnormality, including ageing.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/13/9/1665G-quadruplexageingepigenetics |
| spellingShingle | Jonas Rauchhaus Jenna Robinson Ludovica Monti Marco Di Antonio G-quadruplexes Mark Sites of Methylation Instability Associated with Ageing and Cancer Genes G-quadruplex ageing epigenetics |
| title | G-quadruplexes Mark Sites of Methylation Instability Associated with Ageing and Cancer |
| title_full | G-quadruplexes Mark Sites of Methylation Instability Associated with Ageing and Cancer |
| title_fullStr | G-quadruplexes Mark Sites of Methylation Instability Associated with Ageing and Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | G-quadruplexes Mark Sites of Methylation Instability Associated with Ageing and Cancer |
| title_short | G-quadruplexes Mark Sites of Methylation Instability Associated with Ageing and Cancer |
| title_sort | g quadruplexes mark sites of methylation instability associated with ageing and cancer |
| topic | G-quadruplex ageing epigenetics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/13/9/1665 |
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