Integrating 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine into the Epigenomic Landscape of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
2011

5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Human Embryonic Stem Cells

publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Szulwach Keith E., Li Xuekun, Li Yujing, Song Chun-Xiao, Han Ji Woong, Kim SangSung, Namburi Sandeep, Hermetz Karen, Kim Julie J., Rudd M. Katharine, Yoon Young-Sup, Ren Bing, He Chuan, Jin Peng

Primary Institution: Emory University School of Medicine

Hypothesis

What is the role of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) in the epigenomic landscape of human embryonic stem cells?

Conclusion

The study provides a detailed epigenomic map of 5-hmC, suggesting its potential roles in regulating specific promoters and enhancers in human embryonic stem cells.

Supporting Evidence

  • 5-hmC is an important epigenetic modification associated with the pluripotent state.
  • Distinct enrichment of 5-hmC was found at enhancers marked with H3K4me1 and H3K27ac.
  • 5-hmC shows a strong correlation with histone modifications linked to active transcription.

Takeaway

This study looks at a special chemical mark on DNA called 5-hmC, which helps scientists understand how stem cells can stay as stem cells or turn into other types of cells.

Methodology

The researchers used a 5-hmC-specific chemical labeling approach to profile the genome-wide distribution of 5-hmC in human embryonic stem cells.

Statistical Information

P-Value

1e-8

Statistical Significance

p<1e-8

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pgen.1002154

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