De novo DNA methyltransferase activity in colorectal cancer is directed towards H3K36me3 marked CpG islands

Abstract

Aberrant gain of DNA methylation at CpG islands is frequently observed in colorectal tumours. Here the authors use ectopically integrated CpG islands in colorectal cancer cells and find that aberrantly methylated CpG islands are subject to low levels of de novo DNA methylation, and that instead de novo DNA methylation activity is targeted primarily to CpG islands marked by the histone modification H3K36me3.