Scientists at Rockefeller University have discovered a new methylated nucleotide in mammals. This discovery may revolutionize the study of epigenetics--i.e., inheritance not governed strictly by the sequence of nucleotides in a gene. The new methylated nucleotide (5-hydroxymethylcytosine) had previously been observed only in bacterial viruses. The Rockefeller researchers report that the new nucleotide is stable and abundant in mouse and human brain. The results are reported online in Science on April 16. [Press release]
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