Top > Research results > Joint research > Succeeded in epigenome editing of fertilized eggs for the first time in the world, expected to be applied to gene therapy Kinki University, etc.

2017/6/6

Succeeded in epigenome editing of fertilized eggs for the first time in the world, expected to be applied to gene therapy Kinki University, etc.

University Journal Online Editorial Department

　Research groups at Kinki University, Kitasato University, and Tokyo Institute of Technology have succeeded for the first time in the world in "writing" DNA methylation in fertilized mouse eggs using "epigenome editing technology."

　All the cells that make up the human body have the same genetic information (genome) in the nucleus.Various tissues and cells are created from this same genetic information because the genes required for each cell are used and unnecessary genes are not used.

　Epigenome is called acquired genetic information and is a general term for information other than DNA base sequences that are inherited even after mitosis.One of the epigenomes is DNA methylation, which is said to play an important role in normal ontogeny.In addition, epigenome editing is an application of "genome editing" technology used for genetic recombination.It is a technology that can manipulate the DNA methylation state of a specific gene region and change the marker required for reading genetic information.

　In this research, we succeeded in writing DNA methylation information to fertilized mouse eggs using epigenome editing technology and enzyme genes derived from bacteria, and it is possible to efficiently introduce DNA methylation into fertilized eggs. showed that.

　DNA methylation operations are expected to contribute to cancer research in the future.It has been reported that DNA demethylation of centromeres (chromosomal sequences essential for cell division) occurs on a large scale in mouse germ cells and multiple cancer cells. DNA methylation manipulation technology is said to enable the study of the causal relationship between genomic instability and DNA hypomethylation status in cancer cells.

　Also, unlike genome editing used for gene recombination, epigenome editing can suppress gene expression without gene disruption.Therefore, it is expected to be applied to gene therapy that does not rewrite the genome, such as suppressing the expression of disease-causing genes without causing ethical problems.

Paper Information: [PLOS ONE] Targeted DNA Methylation in Pericentromeres with Genome Editing-Based Artificial DNA Methyltransferase.

Kindai University

Master true "practical science" at Japan's largest comprehensive university.Flowering various talents

Kinki University has established the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and the Faculty of Correspondence Education, and practices "practical education" in all faculties.By promoting many industry-academia collaboration projects and combining cross-disciplinary expertise and skills, faculty members and students are united to acquire the knowledge and skills to solve various contemporary issues. 2 […]

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Tokyo Institute of Technology

The pinnacle of science and engineering university that continues to produce science and engineering people with high aspirations and a Japanese spirit, mastering the knowledge that creates the times, refining their skills

Tokyo Institute of Technology was established as the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1881 (Meiji 14), when modernization of industry was an urgent need.Since its establishment, it has continued to produce excellent research results with excellent science and engineering human resources, and is still at the top of Japan's science and engineering universities.Tokyo Institute of Technology requires not only a high degree of specialization but also liberal arts […]

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Kitasato University

Comprehensive approach from three fields as a comprehensive university of life science

Kitasato University has various organizations such as hospitals, research institutes, graduate schools, and vocational schools, and is pioneering the frontier of life science step by step with an organic network of "knowledge."Three fields to elucidate life phenomena, "fields for conducting basic research on life science", "fields related to animals, plants and the environment", "human life and health […]

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