DNA methylation

Scientific  

/ mĕth′ə-lā′shən /

1. The modification of a strand of DNA after it is replicated, in which a methyl (CH ₃) group is added to any cytosine molecule that stands directly before a guanine molecule in the same chain. Since methylation of cytosines in particular regions of a gene can cause that gene's suppression, DNA methylation is one of the methods used to regulate the expression of genes.

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DNA methylation Cultural  

1. The chemical reactions that place a methyl group (a combination of one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms) at a particular spot on DNA during organismal development. The effect of this process is probably to “turn off” various genes during the process of cellular differentiation, causing the cell to develop into a specific type.

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It is thought that during cloning, the methyl groups are removed from the DNA, turning the genes back “on” again.

There is evidence that embryonic stem cells are cells in which this process has not yet occurred.

Example Sentences

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DNA methylation

These tools estimate biological age by measuring DNA methylation, a pattern of chemical tags that influences how genes are switched on or off without changing the DNA sequence itself.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

Infants who had higher levels of DNA methylation in certain immune-related genes tended to develop less diverse gut microbiomes by 12 months of age.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 2, 2026

Investigators examined DNA methylation data from blood samples collected from 958 healthy participants whose average chronological age was 70.

From Science Daily ● May 14, 2026

Johnson routinely measures everything from his blood sugar levels to his DNA methylation: a natural genetic change that can be used to estimate the pace of aging.

From Slate ● May 28, 2025

Evaluating the merits of these awards would require a deep understanding of dozens of scientific fields, from gravitational waves to DNA methylation.

From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2025