Open AccessDNA Methylase Induced by Bacteriophage ϕX174
Author(s) -
Aharon Razin
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.70.12.3773
Subject(s) - dna , bacteriophage , biology , cytosine , escherichia coli , methyltransferase , 5 methylcytosine , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , circular bacterial chromosome , methylation , biochemistry , dna replication , dna methylation , gene , gene expression
A cytosine-specific DNA methylase activity, which is normally absent in the Escherichia coli B strain, was found to be induced in these cells by infection with bacteriophage varphiX174. In vivo experiments revealed a single 5-methylcytosine residue in the phage DNA molecule and 5-methylcytosine residues in the infected host DNA, in addition to the 6-methylaminopurine residues present in the uninfected cells. In vitro, a partially purified enzyme from infected cells methylated DNA from uninfected cells, but showed no activity with cellular DNA from infected cells. The partially purified methylase derived from uninfected cells lacks this activity.
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