CpG-methylation is a frequently occurring epigenetic modification of vertebrate genomes resulting in transcriptional repression. This domain was found at the C-terminus of the methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) containing proteins MBD2 [1] and MBD3 [2], the latter was shown to not bind directly to methyl-CpG DNA but rather interact with components of the NuRD/Mi2 complex [3], an abundant deacetylase complex. The domain is subject to structure determination by the Joint Center of Structural Genomics.

1: Role of MBD2 in gene regulation and tumorigenesis. Berger J, Bird A; Biochem Soc Trans. 2005;33:1537-40. PMID:16246164

2: The mCpG-binding domain of human MBD3 does not bind to mCpG but interacts with NuRD/Mi2 components HDAC1 and MTA2. Saito M, Ishikawa F; J Biol Chem. 2002;277:35434-9. PMID:12124384

3: The human Mi-2/NuRD complex and gene regulation Denslow SA, Wade PA; Oncogene 2007;26:5433–5438 PMID:17694084