Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) A-Level
DNA methylation
What DNA methylation means in Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) A-Level, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definition of DNA methylation
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain DNA methylation in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: Pearson Edexcel
Adding methyl groups to cytosine bases, typically in CpG-rich promoter regions, usually reducing transcription by making the promoter less accessible to transcription factors.
Topics that use DNA methylation
- Topic 3: Voice of the Genome (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
Related terms
- Acrosome
- Acrosome reaction
- Cell cycle and interphase
- Continuous variation and normal distribution
- Cortical reaction
- Differential gene expression
- DNA replication and sister chromatids
- Epigenetic changes
Using DNA methylation in the exam
Check the command word and mark scheme for your exact question. After comparing your explanation with the reference, use the term in an answer on the linked topic. This practice does not predict an exam mark.
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