MECP2 antibodies are used in DNA methylation studies as well as research into Rett syndrome, a progressive neurological disorder caused by a mutation in the MECP2 gene. Now, a new study has been published by the laboratory where the Rett Syndrome gene was discovered, citing MECP2 as a critical factor in a number of other neurological conditions by its interaction with GABA. We at Novus Biologicals have an extensive neuroscience antibody catalog which includes MECP2 antibodies.
MeCP2 is a complex member of the MBD family of proteins, related by the presence of a methyl- CpG domain and the ability to bind specifically to methylated DNA. It is found in large concentrations in neurons, where it functions as a transcriptional repressor, silencing transcription by binding to methylated promoters; however antibodystudies have suggested it may work as both a silencer and activator, through interaction with CREB1. A study by Georgel et al in 2003 also suggested MeCP2 may also bind to unmethylated DNA, while In 2007, Yasui, et al. published research suggesting that the primary function of MeCP2 is not, after all, to silence methylated promoters.
A number of different MECP2 mutations have been identified for Rett syndrome, causing suppressed DNA binding and abnormal expression of other proteins. However, MECP2 mutation has also been seen in X-linked retardation, neonatal encephalopathy, autism and other behavioural conditions. Now, a new study by Huda Zoghbi, using a novel mouse model, has shown that MeCP2 plays an essential role in modulating GABA expression in inhibitory neurons, thus linking it to other conditions like schizophrenia. Absence of the protein led to a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms, not limited to Rett syndrome. MeCP2 antibodies will play an important role in future GABA neuron studies.
Novus Biologicals offers many MECP2 reagents for your research needs including:
