Selective inhibition of cytosine‐DNA methylases by polyamines

FEBS Letters

Ruiz-Herrera, José¹  Domínguez, Angel²  Ruiz-Medrano, Roberto³ 

[1] Departmento de Genética y Biología Molecular, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico;Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain;Departmento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico

关键词: Putrescine;    Spermidine;    DNA-methylation;    Restriction enzyme;   

DOI  :  10.1016/0014-5793(94)01360-D

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

We have advanced the hypothesis that polyamines affect DNA methylation and thus promote the expression of developmentally controlled genes. We demonstrate that the activity of cytosine-DNA methyltransferases HpaII, HhaI, HaeIII and SssI is inhibited by physiological concentrations of polyamines. On the other hand, activity of the adenine-DNA methyltransferase EcoRI, and restriction enzymes HpaII, HhaI, HaeIII and EcoRI, is insensitive to polyamine concentrations up to 40 mM. Our results indicate that the effect of polyamines on cytosine-DNA methyltranferases is rather selective and suggest a possible mode of action in vivo.

【 授权许可】

Unknown