| Literature DB >> 16028562 |
Dale C McCabe1, Marie A Caudill.
Abstract
DNA methylation is a heritable epigenetic feature that is associated with transcriptional silencing, X-chromosome inactivation, genetic imprinting, and genomic stability. The addition of the methyl group is catalyzed by a family of DNA methyltransferases whose co-substrates are DNA and S-adenosylmethionine, the latter being derived from the methionine cycle. Aberrant DNA methylation is linked to numerous pathologies, including cancer. The purpose of this review is to describe DNA methylation and its functions, to examine the relationship between dietary methyl insufficiency and DNA methylation, and to evaluate the associations between DNA methylation and cancer.Entities:
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Year: 2005 PMID: 16028562 DOI: 10.1301/nr.2005.jun.183-195
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Nutr Rev ISSN: 0029-6643 Impact factor: 7.110