Methylation

Methylation is a chemical process that occurs when a methyl group (CH3) is added to a substrate, usually a molecule of DNA, proteins, carbohydrates, or lipids. This process can change the function, activity, or structure of a molecule, and is important for a variety of cellular processes including gene expression, chromatin architecture, and protein-protein interactions. It can also have implications in the development and progression of diseases, such as cancer. Methylation is an important tool in the biomedical sciences, as it is used to study gene expression, DNA modifications, protein functions, and epigenetic inheritance.