TY - JOUR T1 - Conserved and divergent features of DNA methylation in embryonic stem cell-derived neurons JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/2020.01.08.898429 SP - 2020.01.08.898429 AU - Sally Martin AU - Daniel Poppe AU - Nelly Olova AU - Conor O’Leary AU - Elena Ivanova AU - Jahnvi Pflueger AU - Jennifer Dechka AU - Rebecca K. Simmons AU - Helen M. Cooper AU - Wolf Reik AU - Ryan Lister AU - Ernst J. Wolvetang Y1 - 2020/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/01/09/2020.01.08.898429.abstract N2 - DNA methylation functions in genome regulation and is implicated in neuronal maturation. Early post-natal accumulation of atypical non-CG methylation (mCH) occurs in neurons of mice and humans, but its precise function remains unknown. Here we investigate mCH deposition in neurons derived from mouse ES-cells in vitro and in cultured primary mouse neurons. We find that both acquire comparable levels of mCH over a similar period as in vivo. In vitro mCH deposition occurs concurrently with a transient increase in Dnmt3a expression, is preceded by expression of the post-mitotic neuronal marker Rbfox3 (NeuN) and is enriched at the nuclear lamina. Despite these similarities, whole genome bisulfite sequencing reveals that mCH patterning in mESC-derived neurons partially differs from in vivo. mESC-derived neurons therefore represent a valuable model system for analyzing the mechanisms and functional consequences of correct and aberrantly deposited CG and non-CG methylation in neuronal maturation. ER -