Linked Life Data

12944428

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/12944428

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
21
pubmed:dateCreated
2003-9-16
pubmed:abstractText
The methylation status of Drosophila DNA has been discussed controversially over a long time. Recent evidence has provided strong support for the existence of 5-methylcytosine in DNA preparations from embryonic stages of fly development. The Drosophila genome contains a single candidate DNA methyltransferase gene that has been termed Dnmt2. This gene belongs to a widely conserved family of putative DNA methyltransferases. However, no catalytic activity has been demonstrated for any Dnmt2-like protein yet. We have now established a protocol for the immunological detection of methylated cytosine in fly embryos. Confocal analysis of immunostained embryos provided direct evidence for the methylation of embryonic DNA. In order to analyse the function of Dnmt2 in DNA methylation, we depleted the protein by RNA interference. Depletion of Dnmt2 had no detectable effect on embryonic development and resulted in a complete loss of DNA methylation. Consistently, overexpression of Dnmt2 from an inducible transgene resulted in significant genomic hypermethylation at CpT and CpA dinucleotides. These results demonstrate that Dnmt2 is both necessary and sufficient for DNA methylation in Drosophila and suggest a novel CpT/A-specific DNA methyltransferase activity for Dnmt2 proteins.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Nov
pubmed:issn
0950-1991
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
130
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
5083-90
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2003
pubmed:articleTitle
A Dnmt2-like protein mediates DNA methylation in Drosophila.
pubmed:affiliation
Research Group Epigenetics, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't