Following fertilization, the two specified gametes must unite to create an entirely new
organism. The genome is initially transcriptionally quiescent, allowing the zygote to be …

The development of animal embryos is initially directed by maternal gene products. Then,
during the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT), developmental control is handed to the …

Background DNA methylation is one of the main epigenetic mechanisms for the regulation of
gene expression in eukaryotes. In the standard model, methylation in gene promoters has …

The idea that epigenetic determinants such as DNA methylation, histone modifications or
RNA can be passed to the next generation through meiotic products (gametes) is long …

Histone modifications are fundamental epigenetic regulators that control many crucial
cellular processes. However, whether these marks can be passed on from mammalian …

Since the human genome was sequenced, the term" epigenetics" is increasingly being
associated with the hope that we are more than just the sum of our genes. Might what we …

The first major developmental transition in vertebrate embryos is the maternal-to-zygotic
transition (MZT) when maternal mRNAs are degraded and zygotic transcription begins …

Inheritance of genomic DNA underlies the vast majority of biological inheritance, yet it has
been clear for decades that additional epigenetic information can be passed on to future …

Methylation of cytosines in the mammalian genome represents a key epigenetic modification
and is dynamically regulated during development. Compelling evidence now suggests that …

The reprogramming of parental methylomes is essential for embryonic development. In
mammals, paternal 5-methylcytosines (5mCs) have been proposed to be actively converted …