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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Apr 16.
Published in final edited form as: Pediatr Res. 2018 Oct 16;85(2):176–182. doi: 10.1038/s41390-018-0204-8

Figure 1. Epigenetic modifications of DNA and chromatin are sensitive to nutritional status.

Figure 1.

Two major categories of epigenetic modification, DNA methylation (left) and histone modification, specifically histone methylation (right), are both modified by iron deficiency. DNA methylation consists of cytosine bases with a covalently added methyl group. Active DNA demethylation is performed by TET methylcytosine dioxygenases, which require iron for their enzymatic conversion of methylcytosine to hydroxymethylcytosine and its derivatives. Lysine residues of histone tails can undergo mono-, di-, or trimethylation. JARID histone demethylases enzymatically remove methyl groups from di- or trimethylated lysine residues, and also require iron for their enzymatic activity. C: Cytosine; hME: Hydroxymethyl; K: Lysine; Me: Methyl.