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Regulation and function of stimulus-induced phosphorylation of MeCP2

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Frontiers in Biology

Abstract

DNA methylation-dependent epigenetic regulation plays important roles in the development and function of the mammalian nervous system. MeCP2 is a key player in recognizing methylated DNA and interpreting the epigenetic information encoded in different DNA methylation patterns. Mutations in the MECP2 gene cause Rett syndrome, a devastating neurological disease that shares many features with autism. One interesting aspect of MeCP2 function is that it can be phosphorylated in response to diverse stimuli. Insights into the regulation and function of MeCP2 phosphorylation will help improve our understanding of how MeCP2 integrates environmental stimuli in neuronal nuclei to generate adaptive responses and may eventually lead to treatments for patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Hongda Li & Qiang Chang

  2. Genetics Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Hongda Li & Qiang Chang

  3. Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Qiang Chang

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  1. Hongda Li
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  2. Qiang Chang
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Correspondence to Qiang Chang.

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Li, H., Chang, Q. Regulation and function of stimulus-induced phosphorylation of MeCP2. Front. Biol. 9, 367–375 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11515-014-1330-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11515-014-1330-2

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