New genetic sensor for DNA methylation discovered

DNA methylation is a process in which a methyl group is attached to the cytosine base of the DNA molecule, and is a major way that DNA is epigenetically marked. Epigenetic modifications can act as on–off switches to regulate gene expression and help generate diverse cell types without changing the underlying DNA sequence. It is how the body ensures that brain-related genes don't get turned on in heart cells, for example.