Cell identity and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine

Floris Honig; Adele Murrell

doi:10.1186/s13072-025-00601-w

Cell identity and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine

Floris Honig, Adele Murrell

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

3 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Epigenetic factors underlie cellular identity through the regulation of transcriptional networks that establish a cell’s phenotype and function. Cell conversions are directed by transcription factor binding at target DNA which induce changes to identity-specific gene regulatory programs. The degree of cell plasticity is determined by the interplay of epigenetic mechanisms to create a landscape susceptible to such binding events. 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, a key intermediate during the process of DNA demethylation, is an epigenetic modification involved in controlling these epigenetic dynamics related to cell identity. Here, the role of 5-hydroxcymethylcytosine during cell identity conversions, including its relationship with other main epigenetic mechanisms, is reviewed.

Original language	English
Article number	36
Journal	Epigenetics & Chromatin
Volume	18
Issue number	1
Early online date	19 Jun 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s13072-025-00601-w
Publication status	Published - 31 Dec 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.

Data Availability Statement

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Funding

F.H. is supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council-funded South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP3: BB/T008741/1) in partnership with CASE partner bit.bio. This work was further supported by UKRI: Medical Research Council London GB Grant number MR/T000481/1.

Funders	Funder number
UK Research & Innovation
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council	BB/T008741/1
Medical Research Council	MR/T000481/1

Keywords

5-hydroxymethylcytosine
Cell conversions
Cell identity
Epigenetic barriers
Epigenetic mechanisms

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Molecular Biology
Genetics

Access to Document

10.1186/s13072-025-00601-wLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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AB - Epigenetic factors underlie cellular identity through the regulation of transcriptional networks that establish a cell’s phenotype and function. Cell conversions are directed by transcription factor binding at target DNA which induce changes to identity-specific gene regulatory programs. The degree of cell plasticity is determined by the interplay of epigenetic mechanisms to create a landscape susceptible to such binding events. 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, a key intermediate during the process of DNA demethylation, is an epigenetic modification involved in controlling these epigenetic dynamics related to cell identity. Here, the role of 5-hydroxcymethylcytosine during cell identity conversions, including its relationship with other main epigenetic mechanisms, is reviewed.

KW - 5-hydroxymethylcytosine

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KW - Cell identity

KW - Epigenetic barriers

KW - Epigenetic mechanisms

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DO - 10.1186/s13072-025-00601-w

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ER -

Cell identity and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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