Fig. 7: Model for repression of the HBG genes by methylation of promoter CpG sites.
From: Removal of promoter CpG methylation by epigenome editing reverses HBG silencing
To repress transcription, the MBD2-NuRD complex interacts with BCL11A, ZBTB7A, and methylated CpG sites (Me) within the proximal HBG promoter and directs the remodeling of nucleosomes to exclude the binding of activating transcription factors GATA1 and NF-Y. In the absence of CpG methylation, interaction of the NuRD complex with repressive transcription factors alone is not sufficient to establish the repressive positioning of nucleosomes within the proximal promoter, facilitating the preferential binding of activating transcription factors to drive gene expression. Created in BioRender. Bell, H. (2025) https://BioRender.com/ztcmiqi.
