Methyl Molecules

Definition

Methyl molecules are compounds containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms (CH3). In biology, they play a crucial role in DNA methylation, an important process for normal development and associated with several key processes including genomic imprinting and X-chromosome inactivation.

Analogy

Consider methyl molecules like stickers placed on a blueprint (the DNA). These stickers don't change the blueprint itself but may alter how it's read or interpreted - similarly, methyl molecules attach themselves onto our DNA influencing how certain parts of it function.

Related terms

Methylation: The process of adding a methyl group to another molecule such as DNA.

Epigenetics: The study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself.

CpG Islands: Regions rich in cytosine-phosphate-guanine sequences where methylation commonly occurs.