Volume 15, No 4, Apr 2005

ISSN: 1001-0602 
EISSN: 1748-7838 2018 
impact factor 17.848* 
(Clarivate Analytics, 2019)

Volume 15 Issue 4, April 2005: 255-261

REVIEWS

Methyl-CpG binding proteins in the nervous system

Guoping FAN*, Leah HUTNICK

Department of Human Genetics and Interdepartmental Program of Neuroscience, David Geffen School of Medicine, P.O. Box 957088, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7088, USA Correspondence: Guoping FAN(gfan@mednet.ucla.edu)

Classical methyl-CpG binding proteins contain the conserved DNA binding motif methyl-cytosine binding domain (MBD), which preferentially binds to methylated CpG dinucleotides. These proteins serve as transcriptional repressors, mediating gene silencing via DNA cytosine methylation. Mutations in methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) have been linked to the human mental retardation disorder Rett syndrome, suggesting an important role for methyl-CpG binding proteins in brain development and function. This mini-review summarizes the recent advances in studying the diverse functions of MeCP2 as a prototype for other methyl-CpG binding proteins in the development and function of the vertebrate nervous system.

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