MeCP2 (human recombinant; methyl binding domain aa 77-166)

DNA methylation occurs mainly at the 5’-position of cytosine rings (5-methylcytosine (5mC)). The 5mC bases are found largely in genomic regions with a high frequency of cytosines and guanines, called CpG islands. Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) specifically binds to methylated promoters on CpG islands and mediates gene silencing by recruiting corepressor complexes.{20308} The Methyl-CpG Binding Domain (MBD) protein family consists of five members: MeCP2, MBD1, MBD2, MBD3 and MBD4.{20692,20693,17996} The sequence similarity between the MBD proteins is limited to the MBD domains.{20691} In vitro work suggests high affinity binding of MeCP2 is facilitated by DNA fragments containing A/T bases ([A/T]?4) adjacent to the methyl-CpG.{20309} Mutations in the MeCP2 gene have been linked to the X-linked neurological disorder, Rett Syndrome.{20806}