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Genomic imprinting refers to a recently discovered phenomenon in which the expression pattern of an allele depends on whether that allele was inherited from the mother or the father. This difference in expression strategy correlates with differences in the epigenetic state of the two alleles. These epigenetic differences include DNA methylation at CpG dinucleotides, as well as modifications on the histones associated with the locus. In the simplest possible cases, the promoter region of the imprinted gene is methylated during oogenesis, but not spermatogenesis (or vice versa). This methylation (and its accompanying histone modifications) results in inactivation of the modified allele. Of course, most imprinted genes do not fall into this simplest case. The goal of this book is neither to provide a basic introduction to imprinting, nor to provide a comprehensive survey of the current state of the field (which would necessarily span multiple books). Rather, the book covers on some of the more recent advances, with the goal of drawing attention to some of the emerging subtleties and complexities associated with imprinted genes.
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Genomic Imprinting ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY Editorial Board: NATHAN BACK, State University of New York at Buffalo IRUN R. COHEN, The Weizmann Institute of Science ABEL LAJTHA, N.S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research JOHN D. LAMBRIS, University of Pennsylvania RODOLFO PAOLETTI, University of Milan Recent Volumes in this Series Volume 618 HYPOXIA AND THE CIRCULATION Edited by Robert H. Roach, Peter Hackett, and Peter D. Wagner Volume 619 CYANOBACTERIAL HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS: STATE OF THE SCIENCE AND RESEARCH NEEDS Edited by H. Kenneth Hudnell Volume 620 BIO-APPLICATIONS OF NANOPARTICLES Edited by Warren C.W. Chan Volume 621 AXON GROWTH AND GUIDANCE Edited by Dominique Bagnard Volume 622 OVARIAN CANCER Edited by George Coukos, Andrew Berchuck, and Robert Ozols Volume 623 ALTERNATIVE SPLICING IN THE POSTGENOMIC ERA Edited by Benjamin J. Blencowe and Brenton R. Graveley Volume 624 SUNLIGHT, VITAMIN D AND SKIN CANCER Edited by Jörg Reichrath Volume 625 DRUG TARGETS IN KINETOPLASTID PARASITES Edited by Hemanta K. Majumder Volume 626 GENOMIC IMPRINTING Edited by Jon F. Wilkins A Continuation Order Plan is available for this series. A continuation order will bring delivery of each new volume immediately upon publication. Volumes are billed only upon actual shipment. For further information please contact the publisher. Genomic Imprinting Edited by Jon F. Wilkins, Ph.D. Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC Landes Bioscience Springer Science+Business Media, LLC Landes Bioscience Copyright ©2008 Landes Bioscience and Springer Science+Business Media, LLC All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system; for exclusive use by the Purchaser of the work. Printed in the U.S.A. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, New York 10013, U.S.A. http://www.springer.com Please address all inquiries to the publishers: Landes Bioscience, 1002 West Avenue, 2nd Floor, Austin, Texas 78701, U.S.A. Phone: 512/ 637 6050; FAX: 512/ 637 6079 http://www.landesbioscience.com Genomic Imprinting edited by Jon F. Wilkins, Landes Bioscience / Springer Science+Business Media, LLC dual imprint / Springer series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ISBN: 978-0-387-77575-3 While the authors, editors and publisher believe that drug sel