MECP2 stands for methyl CpG binding protein 2.
Here's a breakdown of this name:
- Methyl: Refers to a methyl group (CH3), which is a chemical component found in many biological molecules.
- CpG: Represents a cytosine-phosphate-guanine sequence in DNA. These are specific locations in DNA where a cytosine nucleotide is followed by a guanine nucleotide.
- Binding protein: Indicates that the protein binds to other molecules; in this case, it's binding to methylated CpG sites in DNA.
- 2: Simply designates that this is a specific protein type within a group of similar proteins.
In simpler terms, MECP2 is a protein that recognizes and attaches to a specific part of DNA when it has a methyl group attached to it. This protein is crucial in gene regulation.
The information above is based on the provided reference: methyl CpG binding protein 2.01-Mar-2017.
