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A Novel Approach to Identify Candidate Imprinted Genes in Humans

Many imprinted genes are necessary for normal human development. Approximately 70 imprinted genes have been identified in humans. I developed a novel approach to identify candidate imprinted genes in humans using the premise that imprinted genes are often associated with nearby parent-of-origin-specific DNA differentially methylated regions (DMRs). I identified parent-of-origin-specific DMRs using sodium bisulfite-based DNA (CpG) methylation profiling of uniparental tissues, mature cystic ovarian teratoma (MCT) and androgenetic complete hydatidiform mole (AnCHM), and biparental tissues, blood and placenta. In support of this approach, the CpG methylation profiling led to the identification of parent-of-origin-specific differentially methylated CpG sites (DMCpGs) in known parent-of-origin-specific DMRs. I found new DMRs for known imprinted genes NAP1L5 and ZNF597. Most importantly, I discovered many new DMCpGs, which were associated with nearby genes, i.e., candidate imprinted genes. Allelic expression analyses of one candidate imprinted gene, AXL, suggested polymorphic imprinting of AXL in human blood.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/32278
Date21 March 2012
CreatorsShapiro, Jonathan
ContributorsWeksberg, Rosanna
Source SetsUniversity of Toronto
Languageen_ca
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis

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