title: Plasmodium falciparum: evidence for a DNA methylation pattern.
abstract: The methylation status of the adenine and cytosine residues in the genome of Plasmodium falciparum was studied using restriction enzymes exhibiting differential activity dependent on the methylation state of these residues in their recognition site. The gene coding for the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase was studied for that purpose. No methylated adenine residues were observed in this gene in four strains tested. However, partial methylation of cytosine residues was observed in all strains. This methylation occurred at a specific site of the gene and was of the eukaryotic type, namely at a CpG sequence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kogan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Golenser
mesh_terms: D044503:5-Methylcytosine; D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D003596:Cytosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D015226:Dinucleoside Phosphates / Q000032:analysis; D008745:Methylation; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics*; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D044503:5-Methylcytosine; D000225:Adenine; D003596:Cytosine; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015226:Dinucleoside Phosphates; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase; C015772:CpG dinucleotide; C000730567:6-methyladenine