Skip to main content
PMC home page
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1972 Jan;69(1):187–190. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.1.187

Methylation of Cytosine Residues in DNA Controlled by a Drug Resistance Factor

Stanley Hattman 1, Edward Gold 1, Alan Plotnik 1,*
PMCID: PMC427572  PMID: 4550503

Abstract

The proportion of 5-methylcytosine (5MeCyt) and 6-methylaminopurine (N6-methyladenine, 6MeAde) in bacteriophage P22 DNA was analyzed as a function of the host-specificity the phage carried. In the DNA of P22 grown in strains harboring the modifying drug-resistance-transfer-factor N-3, the 5MeCyt content was at least twice that after growth in strains lacking the factor. In contrast, the 6MeAde level of P22 DNA was unaffected by the presence or absence of the factor. The 6MeAde and 5MeCyt levels were unaffected by factors 222 and N-1, which do not modify phage DNA.

The 5MeCyt/6MeAde ratio was only slightly higher in the DNA of Salmonella strains that had received the N-3 factor. After transfer of the N-3 factor to Escherichia coli strain B, which normally lacks 5MeCyt, a high content of 5MeCyt is observed. We conclude that the N-3 factor controls a DNA methylase specific for cytosine residues. If the N-3 host specificity is imparted by cytosine methylation, this would be the first instance where a biological role for 5MeCyt has been elucidated.

Keywords: host-induced modification, R factors, N6-methyladenine, 5-methylcytosine

Full text

PDF
187

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ARBER W. HOST SPECIFICITY OF DNA PRODUCED BY ESCHERICHIA COLI V . THE ROLE OF METHIONINE IN THE PRODUCTION OF HOST SPECIFICITY. J Mol Biol. 1965 Feb;11:247–256. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80055-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. ARBER W., LATASTE-DOROLLE C. [Enlargement of the host area of bacteriophage lambda for Escherichia coli B]. Pathol Microbiol (Basel) 1961;24:1012–1018. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. ARBER W., MORSE M. L. HOST SPECIFICITY OF DNA PRODUCED BY ESCHERICHIA COLI. VI. EFFECTS ON BACTERIAL CONJUGATION. Genetics. 1965 Jan;51:137–148. doi: 10.1093/genetics/51.1.137. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bannister D., Glover S. W. Restriction and modification of bacteriophages by R+ strains of Escherichia coli K12. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1968 Mar 27;30(6):735–738. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(68)90575-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Brown G. M., Attardi G. Methylation of nucleic acids in HeLa cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1965 Jul 26;20(3):298–302. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(65)90363-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Burdon R. H., Adams R. L. The in vivo methylation of DNA in mouse fibroblasts. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1969 Jan 21;174(1):322–329. doi: 10.1016/0005-2787(69)90257-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Burdon R. H. Methylation of nucleic acids in Krebs II ascites tumour cells. Nature. 1966 May 21;210(5038):797–799. doi: 10.1038/210797a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Colson A. M., Colson C., Van Pel A. Host-controlled restriction mutants of Salmonella typhimurium. J Gen Microbiol. 1969 Sep;58(1):57–64. doi: 10.1099/00221287-58-1-57. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Colson C., Colson A. M. Host specificity and fertility in Salmonella typhimurium LT7. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1967 Dec 15;29(5):692–695. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(67)90272-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Culp L. A., Dore E., Brown G. M. Methylated bases in DNA of animal origin. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1970 Jan;136(1):73–79. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(70)90328-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. DUNN D. B., SMITH J. D. The occurrence of 6-methylaminopurine in deoxyribonucleic acids. Biochem J. 1958 Apr;68(4):627–636. doi: 10.1042/bj0680627. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Fujimoto D., Srinivasan P. R., Borek E. On the nature of the deoxyribonucleic acid methylases. Biological evidence for the multiple nature of the enzymes. Biochemistry. 1965 Dec;4(12):2849–2855. doi: 10.1021/bi00888a041. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Gough M., Lederberg S. Methylated bases in the host-modified deoxyribonucleic acid of Escherichia coli and bacteriophage lambda. J Bacteriol. 1966 Apr;91(4):1460–1468. doi: 10.1128/jb.91.4.1460-1468.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Grippo P., Iaccarino M., Parisi E., Scarano E. Methylation of DNA in developing sea urchin embryos. J Mol Biol. 1968 Sep 14;36(2):195–208. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(68)90375-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Hattman S. DNA methylation of T-even bacteriophages and of their nonglucosylated mutants: its role in P1-directed restriction. Virology. 1970 Oct;42(2):359–367. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(70)90279-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Hattman S. Variation of 6-methylaminopurine content in bacteriophage P22 deoxyribonucleic acid as a function of host specificity. J Virol. 1971 May;7(5):690–691. doi: 10.1128/jvi.7.5.690-691.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Kalousek F., Morris N. R. Deoxyribonucleic acid methylase activity in pea seedlings. Science. 1969 May 9;164(3880):721–722. doi: 10.1126/science.164.3880.721. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Kalousek F., Morris N. R. The purification and properties of deoxyribonucleic acid methylase from rat spleen. J Biol Chem. 1969 Mar 10;244(5):1157–1163. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. LEDINKO N. OCCURRENCE OF 5-METHYLDEOXYCYTIDYLATE IN THE DNA OF PHAGE LAMBDA. J Mol Biol. 1964 Sep;9:834–835. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(64)80191-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Lederberg S. 5-Methylcytosine in the host-modified DNA of Escherichia coli and phage lambda. J Mol Biol. 1966 May;17(1):293–297. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(66)80111-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Lederberg S. 5-Methylcytosine in the host-modified DNA of Escherichia coli and phage lambda. J Mol Biol. 1966 May;17(1):293–297. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(66)80111-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Mamelak L., Boyer H. W. Genetic control of the secondary modification of deoxyribonucleic acid in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1970 Oct;104(1):57–62. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.1.57-62.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Okada M., Watanabe T., Miyake T. On the nature of the recipient ability of Salmonella typhimurium for foreign deoxyribonucleic acids. J Gen Microbiol. 1968 Feb;50(2):241–252. doi: 10.1099/00221287-50-2-241. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Takano T., Watanabe T., Fukasawa T. Mechanism of host-controlled restriction of bacteriophage lambda by R factors in Escherichia coli K12. Virology. 1968 Feb;34(2):290–302. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(68)90239-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Vanyushin B. F., Tkacheva S. G., Belozersky A. N. Rare bases in animal DNA. Nature. 1970 Mar 7;225(5236):948–949. doi: 10.1038/225948a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. WATANABE T., NISHIDA H., OGATA C., ARAI T., SATO S. EPISOME-MEDIATED TRANSFER OF DRUG RESISTANCE IN ENTEROBACTERIACEAE. VII. TWO TYPES OF NATURALLY OCCURRING R FACTORS. J Bacteriol. 1964 Sep;88:716–726. doi: 10.1128/jb.88.3.716-726.1964. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. WYATT G. R. Recognition and estimation of 5-methylcytosine in nucleic acids. Biochem J. 1951 May;48(5):581–584. doi: 10.1042/bj0480581. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Watanabe T., Takano T., Arai T., Nishida H., Sato S. Episome-mediated Transfer of Drug Resistance in Enterobacteriaceae X. Restriction and Modification of Phages by fi R Factors. J Bacteriol. 1966 Aug;92(2):477–486. doi: 10.1128/jb.92.2.477-486.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Wood W. B. Host specificity of DNA produced by Escherichia coli: bacterial mutations affecting the restriction and modification of DNA. J Mol Biol. 1966 Mar;16(1):118–133. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(66)80267-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES