DNA methylation in eukaryotes

Abstract

Recent advances have expanded our understanding of the processes underlying the establishment, maintenance, and elaboration of DNA methylation patterns in eukaryotes. The functional significance of DNA methylation is sought in a comparison of results on a variety of epigenetic phenomena in different eukaryotes. The recent development of DNA methylation mutants in mice, Neurospora, and Arabadopsis will allow traditional genetic dissection to be applied to long-standing problems regarding the function and regulation of eukaryotic DNA methylation. Although methylation appears to be important for maintenance of different epigenetic states, the mechanism that establishes these states is likely to involve additional processes.