InterPro domain: IPR039622

This entry represents a group of methyl-CpG-binding domain-containing proteins from plants, including MBD10/11 from Arabidopsis.

Cytosine methylation at symmetrical CpG and CpNpG sequences plays a key role in the epigenetic control of plant growth and development. In animals, the methylation signal is recognized by methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) proteins that specifically bind methylated CpG dinucleotides. In Arabidopsis thaliana 12 putative MBD proteins have been identified. However, the presence of an MBD motif does not necessarily point to methyl-CpG-binding activity. The Arabidopsis proteins AtMBD5, AtMBD6 and AtMBD7 have been proven to bind methyl CpG in vitro and to localize to highly methylated chromocentres in vivo, but none of the other Arabidopsis MBD-containing proteins show these properties, and therefore seem to be non-functional MBDs [ 1 , 2 ].

1. Characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) proteins. Plant J. 34, 565-72
2. Methyl-CpG-binding domain proteins in plants: interpreters of DNA methylation. Trends Plant Sci. 12, 80-5