Stable 5‐Hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) Acquisition Marks Gene Activation During Chondrogenic Differentiation

Regulation of gene expression changes during chondrogenic differentiation by DNA methylation and demethylation is little understood. Methylated cytosines (5mC) are oxidized by the ten‐eleven‐translocation (TET) proteins to 5‐hydroxymethylcytosines (5hmC), 5‐formylcytosines (5fC), and 5‐carboxylcytosines (5caC), eventually leading to a replacement by unmethylated cytosines (C), ie, DNA demethylation. Additionally, 5hmC is stable and acts as an...