Overview:

DNMT3A: DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 3 alpha plays important role in genomic imprinting and X chromosome inactivation and is essential for mammalian development. DNMT3A appears to function as a de novo methyltrabsferase, since it can methylate unmethylated and hemimethylated DNA with equal efficiencies (1). DNMT3A is required for genome wide de novo methylation and is essential for mammalian development (2). DNMT3A is critical for maintaining active chromatin states of genes that are essential for development.

Gene Aliases:

DNMT3A2; M.HsaIIIA

Genbank Number:

BC043617

References:

1. Yanagisawa, Y. et al: The human DNA methyltransferases DNMT3A and DNMT3B have two types of promoters with different CpG contents. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1577: 457-465, 2002.

2. Okano, M. et al: DNA methyltransferase Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b are essential for de novo methylation and mammalian development. Cell 99: 247-257, 1999.