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Characterization of a new variant DNA (cytosine‐5)‐methyltransferase unable to methylate double stranded DNA isolated from the marine annelid worm Chaetopterus variopedatus
Author(s) -
del Gaudio Rosanna,
Di Giaimo Rossella,
Potenza Nicoletta,
Branno Margherita,
Aniello Francesco,
Geraci Giuseppe
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(99)01379-4
Subject(s) - annelid , biology , methyltransferase , dnmt1 , dna methyltransferase , dna , biochemistry , polychaete , enzyme , cytosine , cytidine , microbiology and biotechnology , methylation , zoology , ecology
The enzyme S‐adenosylmethionine‐DNA (cytosine‐5)‐methyltransferase has been identified, first time for invertebrates, in embryos of the marine polychaete annelid worm Chaetopterus variopedatus . The molecule has been isolated from embryos at 15 h of development. It is a single peptide of about 200 kDa molecular weight, cross‐reacting with antibodies against sea urchin DNA methyltransferase. The enzymatic properties of the molecule are similar to those of Dnmt1 methyltransferases isolated from other organisms, but with the peculiarity to be unable to make ‘de novo’ methylation on double stranded DNA.