DNA methyltransferases and methyl-binding proteins of mammals.

Evolutionary divergence of monocot and dicot methyl-CpG-binding domain proteins.

The covalent modification of eukaryotic DNA by methylation of the 5' carbon of cytosine residues is frequently associated with transcriptional silencing. In mammals, a potential mechanism for transducing DNA methylation patterns into altered transcription levels occurs via binding of methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) proteins. Mammalian MBD-containing proteins bind specifically to methylated DNA ...

Special RepoRt Bioinformatic identification of novel methyltransferases

Methyltransferases & epigenomics In recent years, we have witnessed greatly expanded attention to the enzymes that catalyze the transfer of methyl groups from S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) to DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids and small molecules [1]. The central role of methyltransferases in epigenetics was first realized with enzymes modifying DNA [2,3]; subsequent work has demonstrated the importanc...

Role of De Novo DNA Methyltransferases and Methyl C-binding Proteins in Gene Silencing in a Rat Hepatoma

On how mammalian transcription factors recognize methylated DNA

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mark that is essential for the development of mammals; it is frequently altered in diseases ranging from cancer to psychiatric disorders. The presence of DNA methylation attracts specialized methyl-DNA binding factors that can then recruit chromatin modifiers. These methyl-CpG binding proteins (MBPs) have key biological roles and can be classified into three str...

Allosteric control of mammalian DNA methyltransferases – a new regulatory paradigm

In mammals, DNA methylation is introduced by the DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B methyltransferases, which are all large multi-domain proteins containing a catalytic C-terminal domain and an N-terminal part with regulatory functions. Recently, two novel regulatory principles of DNMTs were uncovered. It was shown that their catalytic activity is under allosteric control of N-terminal domains with autoi...