Selective oxidation of 5-methylcytosine by TET-family proteins

US9447452B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Children's Medical Center Corporation · US
• The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services · US

Inventors

• Anjana Rao · Village of La Jolla, US
• Mamta Tahiliani · New York, US
• Kian Peng Koh · Brookline, US
• Suneet Agarwal · Belmont, US
• Aravind Iyer · Bethesda, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 12, 2013
• Grant date: Sep 20, 2016
• Expiry date: Mar 12, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2500/00
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The present invention provides for novel methods for regulating and detecting the cytosine methylation status of DNA. The invention is based upon identification of a novel and surprising catalytic activity for the family of TET proteins, namely TET1, TET2, TET3, and CXXC4. The novel activity is related to the enzymes being capable of converting the cytosine nucleotide 5-methylcytosine into 5-hydroxymethylcytosine by hydroxylation.