MBD2 Antibody – Goat Polyclonal

DNA methylation is the major modification of eukaryotic genomes and plays an essential role in mammalian development. Human proteins MECP2, MBD1, MBD2, MBD3, and MBD4 comprise a family of nuclear proteins related by the presence in each of a methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD). Each of these proteins, with the exception of MBD3, is capable of binding specifically to methylated DNA. MECP2, MBD1 and MBD2 can also repress transcription from methylated gene promoters. The protein encoded by this gene may function as a mediator of the biological consequences of the methylation signal. It is also reported that the this protein functions as a demethylase to activate transcription, as DNA methylation causes gene silencing. Two transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2011]

MBD2: Binds CpG islands in promoters where the DNA is methylated at position 5 of cytosine within CpG dinucleotides. Binds hemimethylated DNA as well. Recruits histone deacetylases and DNA methyltransferases. Acts as transcriptional repressor and plays a role in gene silencing. May enhance the activation of some unmethylated cAMP-responsive promoters. 2 isoforms of the human protein are produced by alternative splicing.

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 18q21

Cellular Component: cytoplasm; heterochromatin; histone deacetylase complex; nuclear chromatin; nucleoplasm; nucleus; protein complex

Molecular Function: methyl-CpG binding; mRNA binding; nucleosomal DNA binding; protein binding; protein domain specific binding; satellite DNA binding; siRNA binding

Biological Process: ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling; cellular protein complex assembly; chromatin silencing at rDNA; maternal behavior; methylation-dependent chromatin silencing; negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; negative regulation of transcription, DNA-dependent; positive regulation of Wnt receptor signaling pathway; regulation of cell proliferation; transcription, DNA-dependent