Difference between random and imprinted X inactivation in common voles.

• Published in: Chromosoma
• Main Authors: Dementyeva, E, Shevchenko, A, Anopriyenko, O, Mazurok, N, Elisaphenko, E, Nesterova, T, Brockdorff, N, Zakian, S
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Common vole
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00412-010-0277-6; https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:6f5a1527-f879-41bb-ba7d-b02154210d4b

During early development in female mammals, most genes on one of the two X-chromosomes undergo transcriptional silencing. In the extraembryonic lineages of some eutherian species, imprinted X-inactivation of the paternal X-chromosome occurs. In the cells of the embryo proper, the choice of the future inactive X-chromosome is random. We mapped several genes on the X-chromosomes of five common vole species and compared their expression and methylation patterns in somatic and extraembryonic tissues, where random and imprinted X-inactivation occurs, respectively. In extraembryonic tissues, more genes were expressed on the inactive X-chromosome than in somatic tissues. We also found that the methylation status of the X-linked genes was always in accordance with their expression pattern in somatic, but not in extraembryonic tissues. The data provide new evidence that imprinted X-inactivation is less complete and/or stable than the random form and DNA methylation contributes less to its maintenance.