Testing the FMR1 promoter for mosaicism in DNA methylation among CpG sites, strands, and cells in FMR1-expressing males with fragile X syndrome

Variability among individuals in the severity of fragile X syndrome (FXS) is influenced by epigenetic methylation mosaicism, which may also be common in other complex disorders. The epigenetic signal of dense promoter DNA methylation is usually associated with gene silencing, as was initially report...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Stöger, Reinhard, Genereux, Diane P., Hagerman, Randi J., Hagerman, Paul J., Tassone, Flora, Laird, Charles D.
Format: Article
Published: Public Library of Science 2011
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2603/
_version_ 1848790827603591168
author Stöger, Reinhard
Genereux, Diane P.
Hagerman, Randi J.
Hagerman, Paul J.
Tassone, Flora
Laird, Charles D.
author_facet Stöger, Reinhard
Genereux, Diane P.
Hagerman, Randi J.
Hagerman, Paul J.
Tassone, Flora
Laird, Charles D.
author_sort Stöger, Reinhard
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Variability among individuals in the severity of fragile X syndrome (FXS) is influenced by epigenetic methylation mosaicism, which may also be common in other complex disorders. The epigenetic signal of dense promoter DNA methylation is usually associated with gene silencing, as was initially reported for FMR1 alleles in individuals with FXS. A paradox arose when significant levels of FMR1 mRNA were reported for some males with FXS who had been reported to have predominately methylated alleles. We have used hairpin-bisufite PCR, validated with molecular batch-stamps and barcodes, to collect and assess double-stranded DNA methylation patterns from these previously studied males. These patterns enable us to distinguish among three possible forms of methylation mosaicism, any one of which could explain FMR1 expression in these males. Our data indicate that cryptic inter-cell mosaicism in DNA methylation can account for the presence of FMR1 mRNA in some individuals with FXS.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T18:18:48Z
format Article
id nottingham-2603
institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T18:18:48Z
publishDate 2011
publisher Public Library of Science
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling nottingham-26032020-05-04T16:30:57Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2603/ Testing the FMR1 promoter for mosaicism in DNA methylation among CpG sites, strands, and cells in FMR1-expressing males with fragile X syndrome Stöger, Reinhard Genereux, Diane P. Hagerman, Randi J. Hagerman, Paul J. Tassone, Flora Laird, Charles D. Variability among individuals in the severity of fragile X syndrome (FXS) is influenced by epigenetic methylation mosaicism, which may also be common in other complex disorders. The epigenetic signal of dense promoter DNA methylation is usually associated with gene silencing, as was initially reported for FMR1 alleles in individuals with FXS. A paradox arose when significant levels of FMR1 mRNA were reported for some males with FXS who had been reported to have predominately methylated alleles. We have used hairpin-bisufite PCR, validated with molecular batch-stamps and barcodes, to collect and assess double-stranded DNA methylation patterns from these previously studied males. These patterns enable us to distinguish among three possible forms of methylation mosaicism, any one of which could explain FMR1 expression in these males. Our data indicate that cryptic inter-cell mosaicism in DNA methylation can account for the presence of FMR1 mRNA in some individuals with FXS. Public Library of Science 2011-08-31 Article PeerReviewed Stöger, Reinhard, Genereux, Diane P., Hagerman, Randi J., Hagerman, Paul J., Tassone, Flora and Laird, Charles D. (2011) Testing the FMR1 promoter for mosaicism in DNA methylation among CpG sites, strands, and cells in FMR1-expressing males with fragile X syndrome. PLoS ONE, 6 (8). e23648/1- e23648/9. ISSN 1932-6203 http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0023648 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0023648 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0023648
spellingShingle Stöger, Reinhard
Genereux, Diane P.
Hagerman, Randi J.
Hagerman, Paul J.
Tassone, Flora
Laird, Charles D.
Testing the FMR1 promoter for mosaicism in DNA methylation among CpG sites, strands, and cells in FMR1-expressing males with fragile X syndrome
title Testing the FMR1 promoter for mosaicism in DNA methylation among CpG sites, strands, and cells in FMR1-expressing males with fragile X syndrome
title_full Testing the FMR1 promoter for mosaicism in DNA methylation among CpG sites, strands, and cells in FMR1-expressing males with fragile X syndrome
title_fullStr Testing the FMR1 promoter for mosaicism in DNA methylation among CpG sites, strands, and cells in FMR1-expressing males with fragile X syndrome
title_full_unstemmed Testing the FMR1 promoter for mosaicism in DNA methylation among CpG sites, strands, and cells in FMR1-expressing males with fragile X syndrome
title_short Testing the FMR1 promoter for mosaicism in DNA methylation among CpG sites, strands, and cells in FMR1-expressing males with fragile X syndrome
title_sort testing the fmr1 promoter for mosaicism in dna methylation among cpg sites, strands, and cells in fmr1-expressing males with fragile x syndrome
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2603/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2603/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2603/