Skip to main content

De Novo Methylation

Meaning

De Novo Methylation describes the biological process of adding a methyl group, a single carbon atom attached to three hydrogen atoms, to a previously unmethylated cytosine base within a DNA sequence, typically occurring at CpG islands. This process establishes new epigenetic marks on the genome, fundamentally altering gene expression patterns without changing the underlying DNA sequence itself. In the context of hormonal health, de novo methylation is a critical regulatory mechanism that can silence genes involved in hormone synthesis, receptor expression, or metabolic pathways, significantly influencing an individual’s endocrine profile and disease susceptibility. It is a vital component of cellular differentiation and developmental programming.