Covalent methyl-group modification of DNA, involved in regulation and cellular memory. Its relationship to transcription depends on genomic location and biological context.
The first found and most important known epigenetic marker.
Happens only on adenine and cytosine. Adenine methylation is much less common in mammal than cytosine methylation, when people say "methylation" they often mean just cytosine methylation.
It often happens on promoters, where it inhibits transcription.
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