Open AccessModulation of DNA methylation and gene expression in cultured sycamore cells treated by hypomethylating base analog
Author(s) -
NGERNPRASIRTSIRI Jarunya,
AKAZAWA Takashi
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1990.tb15646.x
Subject(s) - dna methylation , gene , methylation , biology , cytosine , epigenetics , gene expression , plastid , genome , dna , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , nuclear gene , chloroplast
The selective suppression of photosynthetic genes in both the nuclear and plastid genomes of the nonphotosynthetic white wild‐type cell line of sycamore ( Acer pseudoplatanus ) has been found to be inversely related to the presence of a variety of methylated bases, especially 5‐methylcytosine (5‐MeCyt) and N 6 ‐methyladenine ( N 6 ‐MeAde), localized in regions of the plastid genome containing silent genes. We used hypomethylating base analogs to manipulate the level of cytosine and adenine methylation in the white cells of sycamore, and examined the effects of changes in methylation on gene expression. Treatment with 5‐azacytidine (5‐AzaCyd) and N 6 ‐benzyladenine ( N 6 ‐BzlAde) decreased cytosine and adenine methylation. This was accompanied by restoration of transcriptional activity in photosynthetic genes which are usually suppressed. Both 5‐MeCyt and N 6 ‐MeAde suppressed nuclear gene expression, but only 5‐MeCyt suppressed plastid gene expression.