5-Methyl-2'-deoxycytidine is a nucleoside analogue that inhibits the synthesis of DNA. 5-Methyl-2'-deoxycytidine prevents methylation of guanine, which disrupts the binding of guanine nucleotide-binding proteins to the dna template and prevents polymerase chain reactions. 2'-Deoxy-5-methylcytidine is also a methyltransferase inhibitor, which means it blocks the enzyme responsible for adding methyl groups to cytosine molecules.
5-Methyl-2'-deoxycytidine in single-stranded DNA can act in cis to signal de novo DNA methylation.
5-Methyl-2'-deoxycytidine is a pyrimidine nucleoside that when incorporated into single-stranded DNA can act in cis to signal de novo DNA methylation. It has been used in epigenetics research to investigate the dynamics of DNA methylation pattern in the control of gene expression.
A Cytidine (C998300) analog and also an isostere of Thymidine (T412000).
Giel-Pietraszuk et al. developed a new method for quantification of 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine (m5C) in the DNA. The technique is based on the conversion of m5C into fluorescent 3, N4-etheno-5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine (εm5C) and its identification by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC)[1].The measurement of 5-meC and 5-medC in urine may help assess changes in DNA methylation status in the whole body and investigate the DNA demethylation mechanism in vivo. 5-MedC was first detected in urine using an inhibition ELISA method;12 however, because ELISA may suffer from poor selectivity and sensitivity, later urinary measurements of 5-medC were developed mainly based on the chromatographic techniques[2].
ChEBI: 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine is a 2'-deoxycytidine.
[1] Ma?gorzata Giel-Pietraszuk. “Quantification of 5-methyl-2’-deoxycytidine in the DNA.” Acta biochimica Polonica 62 2 (2015): 281–6.
[2] Chiung-Wen Hu. “Direct Analysis of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Methyl-2′-deoxycytidine in Human Urine by Isotope Dilution LC-MS/MS: Correlations with N-Methylated Purines and Oxidized DNA Lesions.” Chemical Research in Toxicology 25 2 (2012): 462–470.
