This web page was produced as an assignment for Genetics 564, an undergraduate capstone course at UW-Madison.
What is chemical genetics?
Chemical genetics is the use of small molecules to interrupt a biological system in order to determine the outcome. This can also be to describe the technique used to screen these small molecules [1]. Chemical genetics is a strong tool that can be used by researchers to test thousands of compounds for possible drug therapies for diseases.
DNA methyltransferase Inhibitor
Methylation is one of the most common DNA modifications that occurs. Certain sequences in the genome have a higher likelihood of being methylated. Throughout DNA there are groups of CpG sequences called CpG islands and these sequences are highly methylated [2]. It has been shown that the LXRA gene has multiple CpG islands throughout it and many are methylated [3].
Discussion
Methylation is done by DNA methyltransferases. Using inhibitors of this pathway would be a good way to use chemical genetics to determine how inhibitors of methylation can change how the LXRA gene works. By altering the methylation, it may give us in sight into how LXRA plays a role in myelination.
References:
[Header Image] Chemical & Material Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.lalaw.com/industries/chemical-material-sciences/
[1] (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.nature.com/subjects/chemical-genetics
[2] (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.web-books.com/MoBio/Free/Ch7F2.htm
[3] M E van Straten, Esther & Bloks, Vincent & C A Huijkman, Nicolette & F W Baller, Julius & van meer, Hester & Lütjohann, Dieter & Kuipers, Folkert & Plosch, Torsten. (2009). The liver X-receptor gene promoter is hypermethylated in a mouse model of prenatal protein restriction. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology. 298. R275-82. 10.1152/ajpregu.00413.2009.
[Header Image] Chemical & Material Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.lalaw.com/industries/chemical-material-sciences/
[1] (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.nature.com/subjects/chemical-genetics
[2] (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.web-books.com/MoBio/Free/Ch7F2.htm
[3] M E van Straten, Esther & Bloks, Vincent & C A Huijkman, Nicolette & F W Baller, Julius & van meer, Hester & Lütjohann, Dieter & Kuipers, Folkert & Plosch, Torsten. (2009). The liver X-receptor gene promoter is hypermethylated in a mouse model of prenatal protein restriction. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology. 298. R275-82. 10.1152/ajpregu.00413.2009.