DNA methylation

Patent Granted DNA methylation is a biochemical process where a methyl group is added to the cytosine or adenine DNA nucleotides. The rate of cytosine DNA methylation differs strongly between species, e.g. absolute quantification by mass spectrometry revealed 14% of cytosines methylated in Arabidopsis thaliana, 8% in Mus musculus, 2.3% in Escherichia coli, 0.03% in Drosophila, and virtually none (< 0.0002%) in yeast species.[1] DNA methylation may stably alter the expression of genes in cells as cells divide and differentiate from embryonic stem cells into specific tissues.