Article
Identical twins carry a persistent epigenetic signature of early genome programming.
Nature communications - 28 Sept 2021
van Dongen Jenny, Gordon Scott D, McRae Allan F, Odintsova Veronika V, Mbarek Hamdi, Breeze Charles E, Sugden Karen, Lundgren Sara, Castillo-Fernandez Juan E, Hannon Eilis, Moffitt Terrie E, Hagenbeek Fiona A, van Beijsterveldt Catharina E M, Jan Hottenga Jouke, Tsai Pei-Chien, Min Josine L, Hemani Gibran, Ehli Erik A, Paul Franziska, Stern Claudio D, Heijmans Bastiaan T, Slagboom P Eline, Daxinger Lucia, van der Maarel Silvère M, de Geus Eco J C, Willemsen Gonneke, Montgomery Grant W, Reversade Bruno, Ollikainen Miina, Kaprio Jaakko, Spector Tim D, Bell Jordana T, Mill Jonathan, Caspi Avshalom, Martin Nicholas G, Boomsma Dorret I
Abstract excerpt
Monozygotic (MZ) twins and higher-order multiples arise when a zygote splits during pre-implantation stages of development. The mechanisms underpinning this event have remained a mystery. Because MZ twinning rarely runs in families, the leading hypothesis is that it occurs at random. Here, we show that MZ twinning is strongly associated with a stable DNA methylation signature in adult somatic tissues. This...
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