Abstract

The extent of methylation of the internal C in the sequence CCGG in DNA from various eukaryotic sources has been determined using the restriction enzyme MspI known to be specific for this sequence. The methylation of the CCGG sequence is reflected in the restriction pattern obtained by DNA treated with MspI and its isoschizomer HpaII and analyzed by gel electrophoresis. A direct method for detection 5-methylcytosine in the sequence CCGG has been deviced. DNA fragments obtained with MspI were radioactively labeled at their 5' ends and subsequently degraded to the corresponding 5'-deoxyribonucleoside monophosphates. 5 methylcytidylic acid has been found in most of the 5' ends of MspI fragments of calf thymus DNA (about 90%) indicating heavy methylation of the sequence CCGG in calf thymus DNA. The results also reveal a symmetric methylation of both strands at this sequence in calf thymus DNA. In contrast, the CCGG sequence in other eukaryotic DNAs from organisms like Neurospora, Drosophila and Herpes virus proved to be undermethylated at this sequence.

Keywords

IsoschizomerBiologyHpaIIRestriction enzymeMolecular biologyDNACytosineMethylationDNA methylationNucleic acid sequenceRepeated sequence5-MethylcytosineDNA methyltransferaseMethyltransferaseBiochemistryGeneGenomeGene expression

MeSH Terms

AnimalsBase SequenceCattleCytosineDNADNA Restriction EnzymesDrosophila melanogasterHaemophilusMoraxellaNeurospora crassaSimplexvirusSpecies SpecificityThymus Gland

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Publication Info

Year
1979
Type
article
Volume
6
Issue
6
Pages
2125-2132
Citations
190
Access
Closed

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190
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6
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Cite This

Howard Cedar, Adina Solage, Gad Glaser et al. (1979). Direct detection of methylated cytosine in DNA by use of the restriction enzyme Mspl. Nucleic Acids Research , 6 (6) , 2125-2132. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/6.6.2125

Identifiers

DOI
10.1093/nar/6.6.2125
PMID
223125
PMCID
PMC327840

Data Quality

Data completeness: 86%